The Northern Lands
by Tania Hylian
Summary: The Northern Lands are a place where the exiled ice wielders live, and are rumored to be governed by some evil Ice Queen. I am Elsa. I'm an ice wielder. I don't remember anything about my past and... I may or may not have escaped the Northern Lands. I just hope Queen Anna of Arendelle will have mercy on me. Eventual Elsanna.
1. Prologue

**Prologue.**

I feel cold. So cold I start trembling. Is it normal to feel this cold? I don't think so; I've never felt cold before, but considering recent events, it doesn't really surprise me.

How did I end up like this? How was I foolish enough to allow it to happen? How could I misjudge her so badly? I trusted the wrong person. I never thought she would do this to me. But… since now she knows who I truly am, it shouldn't have been much of a surprise.

Still. It was so sudden. It happened so fast… this morning I was at the high point of my life, in a better place than I've ever been… and now I'm here. In this dark and cold prison. Praying I can somehow get out.

But I know there's no escape.

I know there's no hope now.

Maybe there never was.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1.**

I wake up in a forest. I'm confused, my head hurts and I don't remember a thing. I try to pull out some memories, like how I got here, but it's like there was a great wall of darkness preventing me from reaching them.

It's scary. I don't even know who I am.

I try to get up by relying on a tree, and surprisingly I can, though my legs are a little shaky and the ground is slippery with frost. I notice then that I'm wearing a beautiful blue dress. I mean, it's not fancy, but it's nice enough... And it's covered in mud stains and leaves. I try to dust it off, but by doing so I feel a bulge in my pocket, so I put in my hand and get it out, noticing it's a piece of paper that has three short lines:

 _My name is Elsa._

 _I'm going to the nearest town._

 _I can't show this to anyone._

Did I write that? Weird, it seems like I knew I'd lose my memory. Maybe I had an accident and wrote that before fainting? No, it doesn't seem rushed; the letters are too elegant, so it probably was written on a table by someone with all the time in the world. So then... Was it my plan to write that? Why would I do it? And why shouldn't I tell anyone about it? This is too confusing, and it makes my head hurt even more than before.

Maybe I should just trust in myself and follow this paper's instructions.

First off... Go to the nearest town. Okay. I'm on some kind of slope, so the nearest town should be downhill... I hope. Now, since I shouldn't tell anyone about this note, I better leave it here, so no one finds it. Yes, that'll do. I better start walking now; I don't want to spend the night in the forest.

Fortunately it doesn't take long before I arrive to a road, but I have no idea which way I should go. With no other options, I decide to wait for someone to pass by so I can ask for directions. Thankfully only a few minutes later a man and his daughter come by on a horse.

"Hello." I say when they come near, making them stop. "Could you please tell me where the nearest town is?"

" Uhm... Yes, it's over there." He says pointing to the direction from which he came, though he appeared to be confused for a second about my presence. "You'll only have to walk about a mile and you'll find it."

"Oh! Okay. Thank you." I say, glad that I'm this close to my destination. Hopefully when I get there I'll know what am I doing here and why did I lose my memory.

* * *

Soon enough I see some wheat fields, and as I pass I notice the few people working in them. They each stop and give me strange looks as I pass, like they're wondering what I'm doing here. Probably not too many people visit their town.

When I finally get to the town I notice it only has like fifteen houses, a church and a small mansion, probably where some noble lives. I continue walking through the main street and end up at a plaza, where there's a market with several food vendors selling their wares. My stomach growls at the delicious smell and I know I probably haven't eaten in a while... Unfortunately all my pockets had was a piece of paper. No money and no goods I could trade. I'll have to beg. A single piece of bread should suffice to placate my hunger.

"Hi." I say coming to the nearest stall, noticing how the woman eyes me with distrust, probably because of my mud stained clothes. "Uhm... You see, I'm traveling and I don't really have any money, I don't know who I am or why am I here, so if you could at least give me a piece of bread so that I..."

"Get out of here." She suddenly snaps, now sounding angry. "I don't serve your kind. I should call the guards to take you."

I'm confused for a moment, but the confusion soon turns into anger when I realize she must be saying that she doesn't deal with outsiders. That's not nice at all.

"Look, I asked nicely, so you don't have any right to treat me like that." I say frowning.

"You shouldn't even be here in the first place!" She yells and a few heads turn to us, making me nervous and apprehensive. Maybe I really shouldn't be there? Maybe I was going to some other town? What if I committed a crime here and I don't remember? I should ask.

"Why shouldn't I?" I ask with genuine curiosity.

"Wait... So you're not a Northerner?" She asks confused.

"A what?" Now all is just weird and my poor head feels like it'll explode.

"Of course she is!" Suddenly an old man near us exclaims. "Just look at her hair and eyes. Those shades aren't natural!" I then try to see my hair, discovering it's in a thick braid... And the color isn't exactly normal. All the people I've seen today have either brown, dark blonde or red hair. Mine is... Almost white. I mean, it's clearly blonde, but too pale to be natural.

And I don't know what my eyes look like, but they probably stand out just as much. Since it looks like the people of this town dislike the ones with my appearance for some reason (Perhaps our kingdoms are at war or something) then I should probably run before they call the guards or do something even more radical.

"Uhm... I should probably go now..." I mumble as I turn around, only to collide a moment later with a huge man that's blocking my escape. I look around and find there are lots of people surrounding me, all looking angry and scared. A dangerous combination. It makes a chill run down my spine as anxiety settles on my body.

I have to escape. I _need_ to escape. I can't get killed by a mob of angry people just because of my looks... but what can I do? I'm only one small woman (at least small compared to these men), not particularly strong or fast, and I have no weapons. I'm gonna die.

I start trembling as I back away from the men, trying to put some space between them and me, but they are too close now, and they are looking at me with murderous expressions. I'm afraid. I just want to disappear.

Suddenly a man lunges at me with a knife raised over his head, ready to pierce my skull with it. Instinctively, I raise my hands even if I know it's useless and I'll soon be dead... However, when no pain comes and hear some gasps, I open my eyes to see the tip of the knife mere inches away from my face. I back away one pace and see something impossible: the arm of the man who attacked me is now encased in thick ice.

It's not even cold here! How can there be ice?

"So she _is_ a Northerner." Someone exclaims.

"She's dangerous." Someone else adds.

"She used her magic on Kurt!" One of them points out enraged.

"We have to kill her!" Someone prompts, to which everyone agree as they all lunge towards me at the same time.

"No!" I scream in fear and distress as I fall to my knees covering my head with my arms in a protecting gesture, feeling at the same time a pulse of power running through my veins. A second later I see I'm now kneeling on snow, and all around me ice spikes were formed in a protecting way, keeping them all away from me.

I sigh in relief, knowing I'm not completely helpless. But my relief is short-lived as I see some guards coming... And pointing their crossbows at me.

"Put your hands on your head. Don't do anything funny." One of them orders, and I just do what he says, not wanting to end up in more trouble. "If I see any more ice, I'll kill you." He threatens as he takes out some cuffs before gesturing one of the guards to break the ice spikes with his sword. He does so and they approach me, making me so nervous I have to use all my will to keep my newly-discovered powers in check as they put on the cuffs.

"These won't resist much." He says frowning. "We have to take her to the capital as soon as possible. There they'll take care of her." He adds darkly, making me shudder. "Knock her out." He orders one of his men, and I barely have time to process his words before I feel a sharp pain on my head and darkness takes me.

* * *

I wake up on a dark room, apparently lying on a hard rock floor, with my hands enclosed in some kind of metal containers and strained behind my back. My head hurts terribly, even more than before, and my body feels sore, like I've been in this awkward position for way too long. I try to move, but it only makes the pain worsen, so instead I look around, trying to discern exactly where I am.

There's a small barred window from which the light of the sun enters, and thanks to it I am able to see that this room is empty, except from me, and the metallic door is completely shut… or was.

The door suddenly opens and a burly man dressed in some kind of green uniform enters, stopping when he sees my eyes open, clearly having expected to find me unconscious. He's tall and muscular, hair blonde and eyes brown, and is looking down at me with a mix of contempt and fear. This is bad.

"So you woke up." He says, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well, I guess that was to be expected since you've been here for over three hours."

"W-where am I?" I choke out through my dry throat.

"It's not your place to ask questions!" He snarls and I instantly shut my mouth in fear, but suddenly another voice speaks.

"Kristoff? Is she awake? Let me see her." It's a feminine and gentle voice, coming from the other side of the door. It's like the voice of an angel… I already love it.

"But Anna, she…" He starts to protest, looking back outside the door, however, the woman pushes him aside and enters… and the sight takes my breath away. She's young. I'm not sure if my age (not that I remember how old I am) or even younger, dressed in a fine green dress and with her fiery red hair combed in twin braids, with a strange streak of white hair on one of them. Even in this dim light I can tell she's beautiful and has an astounding body. Definitely the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen.

I blush at the thought, even if I know given the circumstances it's ridiculous.

"Wow." She says impressed, and just then I notice she's also been staring at me. "I-I'd never seen one of them before… She's beautiful!" She exclaims, unconsciously reaching towards me, making me blush even more, but Kristoff stops her.

"She's dangerous." He reminds her. "She hurt a man." I wince, remembering the attack. I hope they won't leave me in prison for that, or worse, execute me!

"A man that was trying to kill her with a knife." The woman, Anna, points out, and I find myself liking her even more now. "And now, if you excuse me, I'd like to hear her story. Please stay on guard at the door." She orders, and for a moment I think he's going to protest, but a glare from Anna makes him nod and do as she said.

"So… I'm Anna. What's your name?" She asks, addressing me for the first time.

"Elsa." I answer timidly as I try to get into a sitting position.

"Elsa." She says my name, then smiling at the sound. "I like it. It's very Arendellian."

"Arendellian?" I ask, wondering what does that mean.

"Yeah, you know, that it's from… Arendelle?" She says, more like a question, but it only confuses me more. Where is Arendelle? "You know, the kingdom you're in?"

"Uhm… I actually don't know where I am, or from where I came from, or… anything really. Just my name." I confess.

"What?!" She exclaims in shock. "You don't remember _anything_?! Like, at all?!" When I just shake my head no, she runs a hand through her bangs and sighs. "Damn, that must be awful." She gives me a pitying look. "And I'm sorry I can't help you right now, but really I'm only here to hear your version of what happened yesterday. Could you tell me? I promise I'll try to help you later."

"Okay." I say, trusting her as she's the only one who's been treating me civilly since I woke up. Plus she has an innocent air that calms me. And so I tell her everything (except the part about the paper), from the moment I woke up until I was captured. She listens intently and nods her head in a thoughtful way. At the end, she stares at me for a moment and then sighs.

"I'm sorry about what happened. The people are supposed to call the guards when they see a Northerner so they can be brought here, not to try and kill them. So, in the name of my people, I'm sorry." She apologizes.

"It's okay. It wasn't your fault." I assure her, but then I notice something more she said. "Wait... _Your_ people?"

"Oh... Yeah. I'm kind of... The Queen." She says awkwardly, like she herself isn't very convinced about that.

"You don't look like a queen." I say without thinking, and regret it a second later when I realize it sounded impolite. "I-I'm sorry. What I meant is that you're too young!" I quickly correct, hoping I didn't offend her.

"That's true." She sighs. "It should have been my mom talking to you here, not me."

"Where is she?" I ask curiously.

"My parents died in a shipwreck a year ago, and with no one else to take the throne, I became queen even if I'm underage." Her gaze saddens considerably when she says this, and I find myself wanting to hug her and whisper comforting words to her ear.

"I'm sorry to hear that." I answer truthfully.

"It's okay..." She says, still looking a little lost in her thoughts. "But now the decision of what to do with you is mine... And I'm afraid I may take the wrong decision." She looks worried and sad, and that scares me. "I mean... I know what I should do, but I don't know if I can bring myself to do it."

"And what should you do?" I ask, fearing the answer.

"I..." She pauses and looks me in the eye, her gaze looking troubled and hesitant for a moment, showing me how insecure she feels, before becoming determined and confident as she nods, apparently having come to a resolution.

* * *

Turns out, she decided to let me out of the dungeon (despite Kristoff's protests), give me a room, let me take a bath and change into clean clothes (a beautiful teal and black dress that she never uses and a pair of gloves that apparently will help keep my powers in check), and invited me to have lunch with her.

To say I was surprised would be an understatement, and by the way most of the servants glared at me I assume this isn't exactly standard protocol, but I'm not going to complain. The palace is beautiful, elegant and clean, and has a certain aura that makes me feel at home. The bath was wonderful, and the smells that come from the kitchen are just delicious. I think I'm starting to like Queen Anna even more.

As I enter the dining room, I notice the table is _huge_. It's probably meant to seat twenty people or more. Anna is seated at the end of it, just watching as the servants place platters covered in delicious looking food in front of her. I hurry up and sit at her side.

"Sorry for being late." I apologize.

"It's okay." She assures me. "I hope you like your room. And that dress... Which looks quite good on you, by the way."

"Thank you." I say blushing. "So far I've found everything quite pleasant, your Majesty."

"Anna." She corrects me. "Please, I don't want you to address me so formally."

"Okay..." I say hesitantly.

"You talk too much like royalty, you know? I wonder if before you came here you were a noble." She muses as she takes one of the sandwiches and bites it. I imitate her, and my eyes widen at the taste. This is delicious.

"I wish I could tell you who I am, or rather who I was." I answer truthfully.

"Me too." She sighs. "Then this all would be easier... Or harder." She adds as an afterthought.

"Why is that?" I ask.

"Because..." She starts, but seems to reconsider it. "I guess I'll have to explain everything to you." She takes a sip from her vase of water before continuing. "Before I was born, about thirty years ago, certain _special_ people started to appear in Arendelle. Some said it was a curse from the gods, others that it was a miracle, but truth to be told, it only caused problems." She pauses, looking at me. "They all had nearly white hair, blue or gray eyes, and equally astounding, pale skin… and could produce ice and snow out of thin air."

"Like me." I say, understanding where this is going. She nods.

"At first my grandfather, the king, didn't do anything about it, treating them like normal citizens, but soon after, the real problems began." I take another bite of my sandwich, listening intently to her story. "They started using their magic to steal, murder and threaten the powerless people, and some began to think of themselves as superior beings… and therefore planned to take down the king, in order to ascend to the throne themselves."

"But they didn't succeed." I point out, hoping to cheer her up a little; she seemed too sad for a moment.

"That's true; they couldn't take the throne because the guards were able to defeat them after a fierce battle… but that didn't stop them from killing my grandfather." She sighs. "I didn't even have the opportunity to meet him."

"I'm sorry." I say, wanting to reach out and take her hand, but I don't do it as I don't know if that'd be proper.

"It's okay." She gives me a sad smile. "It was too long ago." She adds, but she seems a little upset yet, so I decide to distract her, hoping that way she won't feel bad.

"And… What happened then?"

"My father ascended to the throne." She says. "But he was angry, terribly angry and upset about his father's death. So he ordered the army to go search for every magical person in the kingdom without a second thought... which was quite easy because by then almost everyone hated them."

 _They still hate them… hate_ us _, apparently, giving how they tried to kill me earlier today (or yesterday?)._

"Do you think that was a mistake?" I ask, noticing the little frown that appeared on her face.

"No… yes… maybe. I don't know." She sighs. "Some say the Northerners are evil by nature, others that only evil people can become Northerners, as they say their heart is frozen… but I don't know how true that is, and after meeting you… you appear to be a good person." She points out, clearly troubled about it all.

"Well… I don't know who I was before, but I know I wouldn't hurt anyone on purpose." I answer truthfully, and she smiles at me.

"Yes, I know… but my father never gave them a chance, and instead banished them to the Northern Lands. It is a territory that was a part of Arendelle before, but that was uninhabited because of the cold temperatures. He even built a tall wall so that they couldn't return and decreed that…" She looks at me sadly. "That if they ever dared return to Arendelle, they would be killed, no questions asked." My eyes widen and I gulp in fear.

"You think I escaped from the Northern Lands?" I ask.

"I don't know… It's possible." She admits. "More so given that about a year ago there were some rumors about a Queen so powerful no Northerner could challenge her. They say she's evil, her heart as icy as the magic she wields, and that she's made it so there is no spring or summer over there." She pauses. "They also say she kills everyone who dares rebel against her, so maybe you escaped from her… or you could also be a spy." She adds, and I'm going to assure her that I'm not, when she speaks again. "But that's highly unlikely, given you were found near the southern border."

"So… why do you think I was there?"

"Maybe you wanted to reach Corona, so you could escape both the Queen from the Northern Lands and Arendelle's law." She shrugs.

"Or?" I ask, sensing there's something more.

"Or you could be from Corona, coming to Arendelle to find some answers about your powers."

"You really think so?"

"It's possible that Arendelle was the first kingdom to have this kind of plague, the next ones following being the neighboring ones, so… who knows?" She tries to say cheerfully, and though I don't think this is the case, I don't dare contradict her; this could very well be the only thing that's keeping me safe from this kingdom's laws.

"And… what are you planning to do with me then?"

"Well, you'll live here until I find out about your origins and reasons to be in Arendelle. Then and only then will I decide the best course of action. Does that work for you?"

"That's… quite generous actually. Thank you." I answer with a thankful smile.

"Please, it's the least I can do." She brushes it off. "Plus, I'd really like to know you better."

"I'd like to know you better too." I answer blushing, feeling something warm and pleasant inside me, like certain urge to be with this redheaded queen, to make her laugh, to keep her safe and be closer to her. I don't know why this is, but I know it's what I want. I have to make the best out of this strange situation I got myself into.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.**

I wake up with a start as I hear a knock on the door. Instinctively I groan and try to block out the light with my arm. My efforts are only partially successful, and judging by how much of it manages to get through my eyelids I bet it's around midday. Even if I wanted to keep sleeping, the light gave me a pretty awful headache, and I should probably get up now anyway. To do what, I don't know; Anna didn't say yesterday if I have responsibilities or chores, but if I do, then I hope it's nothing exhausting. Losing your memory is bad enough even if you don't have constant headaches that remind you of that very fact.

"Miss Elsa?" A female voice is heard from outside my door as the knocking continues. "Are you awake? I brought you breakfast." I'm about to tell her I'm not feeling well and ask her to leave when my stomach growls. Starving won't exactly make me feel better, so I decide to tell her to come in.

"I… I'm awake." I manage to say, still a bit sleepy. Instantly, an older woman with a kind face pushes the door open and enters carrying a tray. The delicious smell invades my nose making my stomach growl once more.

"Hello, dear. I hope you found the room to your liking." She says as she closes the door and approaches, smiling at me.

"Yeah… actually I don't doubt it's the best room I've ever slept in." I answer honestly (the bed is so comfy!).

"Oh, that's right! You have memory loss. Queen Anna mentioned something like that." She says with a pitying look in her eyes as she places the tray across my lap. "You remember something now?"

"Nothing." I sigh, running my fingers through my bangs in a defeated gesture. "And on top of that, I have a horrible headache."

"Oh, poor thing!" She exclaims compassionately. "Do you want me to prepare some tea for that?" The tone she uses when she says it… it's so motherly I feel some kind of ache in my heart. It's like a certain longing for something, or rather _someone_ , that I can't remember.

"Why are you so nice to me?" I ask trying to distract myself from those strange sensations I can't explain. "Everyone else has treated me with fear and contempt… well, except An- _Queen_ Anna."

"I'm sorry to hear that." She sighs. "But… I'm not surprised. Ice wielders have been frowned upon by many ever since the first ones appeared, and of course it only became worse once a group of them killed the late king."

"I… understand why they distrust us." I say, looking down at my tray of still untouched food. "When I first realized I have powers, I felt a little afraid of them too." I remember the frozen arm of that man that wanted to kill me and then the circle of ice spikes that raised around me without me consciously wanting them to, and I shudder. I can't really control my powers, I need practice… but I doubt even Anna would allow me to do that.

"Come on, eat your food." She prompts me, clearly having no idea of what to say about what I just admitted. "I'll go get your tea and be back in a minute."

I start eating just as she leaves the room. Breakfast is simple enough: eggs, bread and coffee, but it's quite delicious, and so I devour it before the maid comes back. It even lessened my headache a bit.

"Someone was hungry." The woman teases me as she enters and sees the empty and tray. I blush. "It's okay. After all, it's almost midday." She assures me. "I brought you some tea."

"Thank you…" I answer taking the mug from her hands, but I pause realizing I don't know her name.

"Gerda." She says with a kind smile.

"Thank you, Gerda." I say, before noticing the tea is too hot, so I cool it a bit with my powers and take a sip. It doesn't taste good, but at least it's relaxing, and so I keep drinking it.

"Easy there. It works better if you drink it slowly." The woman comments and so I tear the mug from my lips and blow a little on it before taking a small sip again. "Now, you asked me why I was being so nice to you."

"Oh! That's right." I exclaim realizing she hasn't answered my question.

"Well, that's because I'm tired of so many people who just assume the worst of ice wielders even before knowing them." She says, but sensing there's more, I nod to encourage her to continue. "You see, before the ice wielders were sent to the Northern Lands, there was a little girl in the palace, daughter of one of the maids. She was a funny girl and everyone liked her, even if she was always making mischief." During her narration, her eyes had brightened up with the warmth of pleasant memories, but at her next words they turned cold and sad. "However, one day, she showed up with blonde hair and grey eyes. She had gained ice powers."

"Wait." I interrupt her. "Aren't ice wielders born with their magic?"

"No, of course not, whatever gave you that idea?" She asks eying me with a funny expression, like trying to decipher why I said something like that. I try to remember what gave me that impression, but the memory that triggered it has banished again behind the wall of nothing that keeps my memories hidden.

"I-I'm sorry. I just had that impression. No one has ever explained it to me." I answer instead.

"It's fine." She brushes it off. "Well, now, where was I? Oh, yes! Little Margaret became an ice wielder, and almost instantly people started treating her differently. They wouldn't look at her anymore unless they really had to. Some would treat her condescendingly like she was victim of a horrible sickness, and others feared her like she was some wild animal that could go mad and kill us all at any moment." She pauses, her gaze darkening and becoming angrier. "Then the king died and some of the more deranged men said that it was probably Maggie who let the killers in. Of course, not even crown prince Agdar believed that, but…" She sighs. "That didn't stop them from killing her."

I let out a gasp, not expecting this story to have such a dark ending, and then I see Gerda wipe some tears from her eyes. Truth to be told, I think I may cry too, but knowing it'd only increase my headache (which by the way now is a little better), I contain myself.

"I'm sorry. This story always makes me emotional." She sniffs.

"I understand." I say, my voice wavering slightly because of how much it shook me. "And I'm sorry about what happened, but it's nice to know not everyone sees us as the enemy." I cast her a thankful smile.

"Oh, don't worry dear, I'm sure with given time, people will stop fearing your kind. " She assures me, wiping her tears. "Mostly since the newer generations hasn't had any ice wielders."

"Really?" I ask in disbelief.

"Yes, though the reason is still unknown."

"That's… weird. Are you sure?" I ask her, not believing her words. Not because I think she's lying, but because for some reason it seems illogical to me.

"I am. If one had appeared in the past few years, they would have been brought to the palace." She answers with such confidence that I'm sure she's telling the truth.

"I see…" I frown, trying hard to decipher why it seems so unbelievable to me, but, just when I think I'm getting close, a knock sounds at the door.

"Oh! That must be Kristoff. He will be your protector for now." Gerda explains as she gathers the dishes and rushes to the door.

"Kristoff?" I groan, remembering how he treated me with distrust yesterday.

"He can be a bit rude, but I assure you, he's quite honorable and trustworthy." She says, trying to ease my fears. "He'll guide you around the palace at first, so you don't get lost if you want to explore it yourself." She explains.

"Okay." I sigh resigned. "Tell him I'll come out in a bit."

* * *

I am walking through the royal gardens with Kristoff. Ever since he went to collect me he hasn't said anything, except telling me to shut up when I ask questions and naming the places we pass. I can sense he doesn't like me, but that's ridiculous! He doesn't even know me! Though it was to be expected; I am a Northerner after all. Still, it bothers me, and his constant glares are making me uncomfortable, plus I'm tired and my head still hurts a bit so… I think I'll sit here for a while.

"Hey, what are you doing?" He asks when he sees me sitting down under a tree.

"I'm resting." I answer shrugging.

"But we need to get going; I don't want to be babysitting you all day!" He protests, like it really is a huge burden to show me around.

"Aren't you my guard now? You'd still be with me all day anyways." I point out. "But, if it makes you feel better, I don't like to be with you either and I'd too wished this day was over."

"You don't understand. I don't want to show you around, I don't trust you." He says crossing his arms in a threatening way and looming over me. But he doesn't scare me, I know he won't kill me because Anna wouldn't forgive him.

"And why exactly don't you trust me?" I ask him, crossing my arms upset at his words.

"Because you are a Northerner!" He snaps. "And I don't believe your little amnesia act one bit. I don't know why you're here or what you're up to, but whatever it is, I'll stop you." He practically growls at me.

"It's not an act, and I'm not planning anything except regaining my memories." I retort, glaring at him.

"Right." He chuckles bitterly. "Anna may have believed you, but that's because she's too naïve for her own good. Even if she's the queen, she lacks experience dealing with con artists like you Northerners. But I don't; I've seen what your kind can do, and I will _never_ forgive you for that."

"And what exactly have you seen?" I ask, more upset than before because of the things he's saying.

"I've seen how the escaped Northerners murdered people with powerful blasts of ice!" He yells at me with fury. "How they destroyed houses like they were nothing, and how they don't take mercy on anyone, not even children. I only escaped because I had Sven."

 _Sven? Is that his friend or something?_

As much as I don't like Kristoff, I have to admit that his story seems pretty… traumatic. I'd probably feel the same about the Northerners if I had lived something like that, but… still. I have done nothing to him, he doesn't have to be so hostile.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened to you, but that doesn't mean you should keep treating me like I'm some kind of dangerous criminal you need to keep an eye on. I don't plan on hurting anyone, much less Anna. And it's only been a day, but I'm already tired of your unjustified distrust and rage towards me." I glare at him threateningly, but he doesn't even flinch.

"First of all, you don't get to call her Anna; it's Her Majesty to you." He answers. "Second of, my distrust and rage are fully justified. I remember you hurt a man when they found you, and created a full circle of ice-spikes without even moving one finger. You're powerful and, therefore, dangerous, and swear I'll find out what you're planning."

"I told you I'm not planning anything!" I yell, exasperated at his attitude.

"Right." He says, unbelieving and then turns around, walks away a few paces and looks back at me briefly as if telling me to follow him. I don't want to, but I can't just stay here all day, and without his help I'm sure I won't be able to return to my room. So I reluctantly get up and start walking behind him with a resigned expression.

* * *

"So, how was your day, dear?" Gerda asks me when she comes in to bring me dinner. I actually was supposed to meet Anna in the dining room half an hour ago, but she sent a servant to tell me she wouldn't be able to attend because of her queenly duties. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement; I was really looking forward to seeing the kind and beautiful redhead again… but I understand. Being queen surely isn't easy at all.

"Terrible." I answer honestly, as I drop myself on one of the chairs.

"And why is that?"

"Kristoff." I groan, but she chuckles.

"He's been giving you a hard time, hasn't he?" She says amused.

"A _pretty hard_ time." I retort, running my fingers through my bangs.

"You have to be patient. Life hasn't exactly been easy for him, you know?" She says as she sits across me.

"I know. He told me he saw Northerners murder people." I sigh. "That doesn't give him the right to treat me so rudely though." I take a sip of my tea.

"Oh, he didn't _just_ see them murder people. He saw them murder his parents."

"What?!" I exclaim shocked after spitting the tea out at the new revelation, and stare at Gerda with wide eyes before quickly wiping my mouth and blushing at my actions.

"Yes, it's a very tragic story." She answers with sad eyes, cleaning the liquid that I spewed on the table. "He was just seven when that happened. Fortunately, the King, after taking care of the murderers, allowed him to stay at the palace as a stable boy. Then he trained as a knight and now he's Anna's personal guard. So at least his life isn't as bad as it could have been, but he still has trust issues."

"Who wouldn't?" I comment, feeling bad for judging him so quickly. "He lost his entire family because of some merciless ice-wielders. I-I… I think I get it now. I'd have to be more patient with him." I take a bite of my bread.

"It may take a while though. When you lose your family, it's quite difficult to forget." The way she says it… it's so sad, so pained… it's like she's also experienced that.

"You've… lost family?" I ask cautiously.

"Yes, I told you this morning." She looks at me and it takes me like three seconds to get what she's trying to tell me.

"T-the girl?!" I almost shout in shock.

"Maggie." She nods as tears form in her eyes. "Another one of the victims of this stupid war between Arendellians and Northerners. Just like Kristoff's family."

"I-I wasn't aware there was a war."

"Not officially, but ever since ice-wielders appeared, there had been fights between them and Arendellians. And murders. And though the wall has mostly kept them from this kingdom and there hasn't been any trespassing in the last thirteen years, it's only a matter of time before something else happens. The question now is, who will make the first move?"

I shudder. I don't like the sound of that; a war wouldn't be good for anyone. Why can't humans and ice-wielders just be friendly with each other? With Anna on the throne I bet there could even be a truce, or a peace agreement between Arendelle and the Northern Lands, or maybe even an alliance… but if the queen is really as evil as they say, then it would be unlikely. Oh, how I wish I could fix all of this!

"Stop worrying yourself about that." Gerda snaps me out of my thoughts. "It won't do you any good."

"I'm sorry." I sigh. "I can't help it, I feel like I _should_ do something. Stop the violence and hate there is between Arendellians and Northerners, you know?"

"You sound like Anna." She says with a fond expression. "So determined, wanting to do it all." I look down, embarrassed but grateful at her words. "But, as I've said to her many times, you can't fix the world by yourself. No matter how powerful you are."

"You're probably right." I sigh. "I just wish I could."


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3.**

It's been a whole week since I started living at the palace, and in all that time I haven't seen Anna besides a couple of times during dinner because normally she's too busy to waste her time by spending it with me. Of course, she never said it like that; she's too kind and polite. But that's how it feels, and it hurts, though I do understand. Anna is the _Queen_ , and her whole kingdom needs her to do all she can to ensure their wellbeing.

However, I'm worried about her, because she looks pretty tired every time I see her, like she hasn't slept properly in days. And based on how little she eats when we have dinner, I doubt she's eating enough either. She always sounds so drained during our conversations, like she didn't want any of this, but she knew it was her duty. She is a slave to her kingdom.

I want to help her, of course, but how do you tell a Queen she shouldn't overwork herself without it coming across as an insult? Especially to Anna, who already seems to have major doubts about her abilities as a ruler.

But anyways. I don't know why I worry about something I won't be able to solve. I have my own problems, after all. Like Kristoff. Yes, he's still being hostile towards me, and though I have learned to ignore him, it still hurts he thinks I'm dangerous just because of this… curse? Gift? I don't know how to call it, but I know I could have kill him with it long ago if that's what I wanted. But I don't, and that's what he doesn't seem to realize.

Though I still don't have much control over my magic. I can't practice for fear of getting caught and everyone freaking out. They would probably think I'm planning an attack on the castle, and even Anna wouldn't be able to stop them from executing me. Still, I've tried cooling my bedroom a little before I go to sleep, and at least now I don't cover the walls in ice. Thank God Gerda was understanding and didn't get mad at me when that happened.

Now that I think about it, Gerda is probably the only person in the castle, besides Anna, that doesn't hate me (yes, even if no one would dare attack me with Kristoff at my side, some have insulted me, and even more look me in fear and contempt when I walk by). I'm grateful to have her, otherwise I'd probably hate being here… and have awful headaches all the time (yes, they haven't disappeared yet).

But enough about that. Right now I'm doing the only slightly entertaining thing I've been able to do lately; running away from Kristoff. Yes, I know it's dangerous, but it's like playing hide and seek, and it's pretty much the only thing I can do to stave off dying of boredom. Right now I have a fair advantage, and if turn here I may be able to lose him for a while longer, but… I don't know where it leads. I've never been here before, what if I'm not supposed to come to this part of the castle?

No, Kristoff would have told me if there was a forbidden wing, right? Plus, it seems to be mostly empty, so maybe I could find a secluded place to practice a little with my powers without anyone noticing. I probably won't do it, even if I find a good place though. I don't trust myself not to cause an early winter in Arendelle.

Just as I round the corner, however, I collide with something and end up falling on my butt. At least whatever I bumped into wasn't taller than me, so it didn't hit my already sore head. I look up to see the object that got in my way and… to my surprise, it's a person. And not any person either, but Queen Anna, who is sitting on the ground and rubbing her forehead, obviously hurt because of me. Still, I can't help noticing she looks quite beautiful today, wearing a finely embroidered black and magenta sleeveless dress and having a beautiful golden tiara atop her intricately combed hair.

But this is not a good time to appreciate Anna's beauty, and so I quickly get up to assist her, utterly ashamed and regretful for my carelessness that now is causing her discomfort.

"An-… Queen Anna!" I say, still not comfortable with using her name when addressing her. "I'm so sorry, please let me…" I try to reach out to help her get up, but in that moment, I see two sharp spearheads pointing in my direction dangerously, and finally notice Anna is with two guards, who are looking at me with distrust.

"Get away from her, you monster." One of them spats, and I almost fall in my haste to take a few steps back, genuinely fearing from my life. Fortunately Anna has now recovered enough to notice what's happening, and soon gets up trying to calm down her guards.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" She says, placing herself between me and her guards, raising up her hands in a placating manner. "No need to be so jumpy, Gerard. She's my new guest, remember?" She addresses the guard that spoke to me.

"But, Your Majesty, she's not supposed to be here." He protests.

"I-I'm not?" I stutter, fearing I overstepped my boundaries. "I'm sorry. I didn't know." I apologize, truly regretful of my actions.

"It's okay, Elsa. Don't worry." She looks back, giving me one of those precious smiles that always make me stare at her in wonder, asking myself how could there be someone as beautiful as her. "But where is Kristoff? He should be escorting you, right?"

"Uhm… about that…" I blush and lower my gaze, but I don't have time to explain because is that moment I hear my guard's voice behind me, obviously breathless after chasing me around half the castle.

"There you are." He says, gasping for air. "This is the royal wing, you shouldn't…" He stops talking once he notices Anna and her two guards. "Oh, Anna. Hey, I didn't see you there." He greets her casually, but then seems to remember his position and tries to correct himself. "I-I mean. Queen Anna, I apologize for this inconvenience. I promise it won't happen again."

"Thank you, Kristoff." She chuckles, obviously amused at hearing him being so formal, but knowing it was necessary to keep up appearances in front of her other two guards. "No apology is necessary. No harm was done."

"Okay." He nods before wiping his sweat off his forehead.

"Well, I guess I should go now, there are lots of things I still have to take care of." She says, but a yawn escapes from her mouth and she blushes in embarrassment.

"You look tired." I point out, looking at her nearly black eye bags. "You should rest."

"No, I'm fine." She tries to brush it off, but her eyes tell me she's about to pass out, so I eye her in disbelief. "And I really can't rest. I'm very busy right now."

"Well, then let me help you." I say without thinking, and instantly all the gazes in the room, including Anna's, turn suspicious and distrustful. I almost cringe. That sounded bad, like I'm using this as an excuse to look into Arendelle's secrets. "Just… with mindless tasks, like putting seals into envelops, or classify your books… or anything to alleviate your workload, really." I try, but no one seems to believe me and I unconsciously hug my midsection, feeling nervous.

"Why?" She narrows her eyes. "You don't think I can do this by myself?" She says, clearly upset. She's probably heard this hundreds of times by now, if it still hurts her this much.

"N-no, I just… I'm worried about you." I try to excuse myself, but then I realize it sounded silly, considering I don't even know her, so why should I care for her, right? But… I just… I do, and I can't explain why. "I mean… you've been so nice to me, letting me stay here and all, and I want to repay that favor." I say something that doesn't sound too crazy and still is partially true.

Anna looks at me intently, apparently trying to discern if I'm saying the truth or just trying to gain her trust because of some ulterior motive, and I try not to deviate my gaze even though those teal eyes pointed directly at me are making me nervous and self-conscious. Still, I'm somehow able to hold her gaze and resist her scrutiny until she nods, apparently satisfied with what she saw.

"Very well, then. If you really want to help me, meet me at the library in half an hour. Kristoff, please show her the way." She orders before she starts walking to wherever she had been planning to go before.

"But Anna…" He tries to protest, but the redhead stops and glares at him.

"That was an order." She says curtly, voice infused with all the authority she can muster. She is no longer cute, sweet Anna, but the Queen, ruler of this land. At least that's how I feel, and apparently Kristoff thinks so too. Despite his misgivings, he and the other guards don't dare utter a word in protest as she turns and walks away.

I smile as I watch her go and then turn to my guard.

"Well? Where is the library?" I ask, smiling when he glares at me but starts walking towards our destination anyways.

* * *

Kristoff takes me to the library and stays at my side, looking at me with distrust until Anna arrives, and he has to position himself at the entrance to give us some privacy. The redhead comes in along with a few maids that carry tons of papers, letters and a scroll, which actually takes me back; I didn't think she'd let me help that much, but… I'm glad she did. If it means she'll finally have a whole night of sleep and a proper meal, I won't complain.

As the maids place the papers on a nearby table, I notice Anna has changed into more casual clothes (a gray long-sleeved dress with no ornaments) and redone her hair into her usual braids. I have to say, even if she doesn't look as beautiful and regal as before, I'm glad she did it; she doesn't look much like a queen now, and that puts me at ease. Maybe I could even make some casual conversation with her? No. She'll probably leave now to sleep in her room. Well, maybe another time.

"Elsa." She addresses me once the maids have left all the stuff at the table and are retiring. "Listen, while I'm grateful that you want to help me, and I _do_ trust you… it wouldn't be wise to just hand you documents related to affairs of state. So please don't take this personally." She says with pleading eyes, clearly not wanting me to feel offended.

"… okay?" I say confused. What are those papers for then?

"Here." She hands me the scroll. "This is what I want you to help me with."

"Uh… what is this?" I ask as I open it to see a bunch of names and numbers.

"It's the list of people who were exiled to the Northern Lands. I want you to search for your name in there." She says, and I feel a chill run down my spine. If my name is indeed in here… damn, I'm screwed! And she's making search for it! Like I'm signing my own death sentence! Doesn't she realize how cruel that is?

"Don't worry, even if you find someone who has the same first name as you and is around the same age, and even the description matches, I won't execute you." She says as if reading my mind and chuckles nervously, obviously disliking the idea of executing anyone for any reason. "I won't exile you either. I won't make any decisions until you get your memories back." She smiles reassuringly at me and I sigh in relief, glad that she's not just trying to find an easy solution to get rid of me.

"Okay then." I agree, now not so uncomfortable with what I have to do. "Is there anything else I can help you with?" I ask, because really, I want to do more for her if possible, after all I'm living for free here! But even as I say it, I have a feeling she won't accept.

"No, thanks." She says a bit courtly, like she doesn't like my offering. She's probably thinking I doubt her abilities, just like everyone else apparently "I'll be doing some paperwork. Tell me if you need anything." That said, she sits near me, takes one letter and starts reading it.

Sighing, I force myself to tear my eyes off her and focus on my task. This is not how I would have expected spending a whole evening with Anna to be like, but… well, at least she didn't go back to her office, so maybe she also wants to spend some time with me? I almost laugh at the thought. Most likely she wants to keep an eye on me. She may not hate ice wielders, but she doesn't trust us either (at least that's what the most pessimist part of my mind thinks). Oh well, I think I should be used to it by now… even if it hurts more when it's Anna that doesn't trust me.

Anyways. Time to start working.

I take the scroll and extend it a bit, reading the first names.

 _1._ _Martha Westergard. 1868._

 _Age: 29._

 _Sex: Female._

 _Description: Red hair and green eyes. Not an ice wielder._

I'm taken aback at this. Why would they exile a non magical person there? Was it common before ice wielders existed? Why didn't Anna mention any of this? Should I ask? I turn to look at her, and see her concentrated on her task, so I decide against it. I'll ask later. I better keep reading.

 _2._ _Hans Westergard. 1868._

 _Age: 2._

 _Sex: Male._

 _Description: Auburn hair and green eyes. Not an ice wielder._

Okay. That's weird. Two non-ice wielders in a row, and they are the first ones on the list, no less! This is very intriguing. I wonder if Anna knows something about it.

Noticing she's already finished tat letter, I decide to ask before she takes another one.

"Anna." I call, making her turn towards me with a questioning expression. "Why were non ice wielders exiled to the Northern Lands?"

"Uh… W-wha…? No, they weren't." She exclaims, scrunching her eyebrows in confusion.

"Yes, look." I point to the two first names as I bring the scroll closer to the redhead, who leans in to examine it closely, her eyes widening when she realizes I'm telling the truth.

"I… I don't know." She answers honestly. "Father never mentioned something like that."

"Are you sure?" I insist, because really, this is _so_ intriguing.

"Well… he did say that, when exiling children, he gave the option to the family of being exiled as well, but…" She pauses, frowning. "It was always kids with powers." She shakes her head. "I'll need to investigate those two. Tell me if you find any more names like these, okay?"

"Okay." I nod and return to the task at hand, but as I keep reading name after name of fellow ice wielders, I can't help finding the presence of those two first people the strangest part of the list. Something just doesn't add up here, and I wish I could find out why they were exiled.

* * *

A few hours later I'm halfway through the scroll, while Anna has reduced her paperwork… only a little bit, actually, but I'm so tired I suggest a recess and the queen promptly agrees. Her relief at being able to tear her eyes off the numerous documents and letters is obvious, and she swiftly calls a servant to bring us dinner here. I have a feeling we probably shouldn't be eating in the library, but I don't dare disagree with her.

We sit at on couches in front of the fire and, while we wait for our meal, Anna stretches a bit, yawns and then turns to look at me with a tired but happy smile.

"I ordered hot chocolate. I hope you like it." She says.

"Of course I do." I answer honestly, because really even though I've only tasted it once, it's my favorite drink _ever_.

"Good. Now tell me, how's it going?" She asks pointing with her head to the large scroll still lying on the table.

"I haven't found much." I shrug. "The first Elsa was too old, and was the mother of another ice wielder; she didn't have magic herself." I explain. "The second one was younger, must be like 27 now, but she has grey eyes. And the third one… she has blue eyes, is about thirty, but her hair is white, not blonde." I sigh, not sure if annoyed or relieved that I haven't found anything.

"I see." She nods in thought. "Yes, I don't think you are any of those. You look definitely under 25. I mean, I guess you _could_ be older, but it's highly unlikely."

"Yeah, that's what I thought." I agree.

"And… hasn't anything triggered your memory? Any names that sound familiar?" She asks, and my eyes widen in realization. Of course she wanted me to read all the Northerners' names! She thought I could remember them if I was indeed one. That was actually pretty cleaver, and though I would've loved to regain at least one memory… that wasn't the case.

"No. Sorry." I sigh, hanging my head low.

"It's okay. I'm sure you'll remember something eventually." She says reassuringly.

"But… what if I don't?" I voice the fear that's been tormenting me all this week. I mean, shouldn't I already be remembering something? At least my parents? My best friends? _Anything_?

"Well, in that case you could stay and be my assistant." She jokes. "Since you are _so_ concerned about me working too much." I blush at the teasing smirk with which she said it, because really, it's ridiculous! I shouldn't care so much about her. And yet I do.

"Relax, I'm actually glad you wanted to help me. I've been wanting to read that scroll the past few days but… I always ended up drooling over it before reading a single word." She chuckles, and I giggle at her statement. It's so un-regal, something a queen would never say, and that makes Anna seem so… _human_. It makes me want to be more open with her.

"Well, I'm certainly glad that the scroll is still legible after you used it as a pillow." I joke, and she laughs at this, in that carefree way any teenage girl would, not caring about manners, not wanting to impress or keep composure, but still not sounding vulgar or annoying. I love it. And I love being the cause of it.

In that moment, the servants come in bringing plates of food, mostly sandwiches, and mugs with steaming hot chocolate. I don't complain; I love chocolate and I like sandwiches, but I'm curious. This doesn't seem like something royalty usually has for dinner. I decide to ask.

"Sandwiches again?" I raise an eyebrow. "You most love them."

"I'm sorry." She apologizes, blushing and taking a strand of hair behind her ear. "If you don't like them I can ask for something else?" She says this like a question, insecure and worried about what I want. Part of me wants to giggle over how cute she looks, but instead I rush to reassure her, not wanting her to feel bad.

"No, it's fine. I like sandwiches. I was just wondering if they were your favorite food, since we also had them the other day."

"Oh." She sighs relieved. "I'm glad you like them, because yes, they're my favorite food." She smiles as she takes a big bite of her sandwich, so big in fact that some lettuce sticks out of her mouth, prompting her to inhale it in a very unladylike manner. I chuckle behind my hand, smiling fondly at her as she blushes and quickly tries to put the rest of the lettuce into her mouth. I find the sight quite endearing.

Then I start eating, loving the taste of the chocolate and the sandwiches. But most of all, I like the company. I think Anna and I could be good friends… that is if the queen of Arendelle can be friends with an ice-wielder. I know it's pretty much impossible, but I can dream, right?

* * *

After dinner we got again to work, even though I insisted Anna she should retire for the night, but she is very stubborn _and_ she's the queen, so there's really no way to argue with her. I've been reading name after name and description after description for hours, but… I don't find anything and nothing really triggers my memory. I'm getting tired and I want to sleep, but I promised Anna I'd help her, and so I won't retire to bed until she does.

 _2465\. Marshal Morrow. 1877._

 _Age: 14._

 _Gender: Male._

 _Description: White hair and grey eyes._

 _2466\. Olaf Morrow. 1877._

 _Age: 5._

 _Gender: Male._

 _Description: Brown hair and brown eyes. Not an ice wielder._

Brothers, huh? And they were fairly young too. I wonder if they had a family, I mean, it's weird that the powerless younger brother was exiled along the older one, wasn't anyone there to take care of them?

No. Of course not. They were orphans, remember?

I don't know where that thought came from, but I don't have time to even consider that. My mind is filling with the image of a small kid, around four or five years old, with brown hair and brown eyes, looking at me with a big goofy smile, as I hear his voice saying: "Hi, I'm Olaf, and I love warm hugs!".

I gasp as the memory ends, trying to control my breathing, because I don't understand! Was that really a memory or just some weird hallucination product of me wanting to go to sleep but instead forcing myself to read all these names? I mean, I haven't remembered anything this past week, so why should I start now?

I know, I know, I'm pretty much in denial. It _felt_ like a memory. Something I saw and heard with my very eyes and ears a long time ago. It's a bit blurry and I don't really have the context, but it's a memory nonetheless. But, does that mean I'm _actually_ a Northerner? Did I meet this kid when I was exiled? Well, it's possible, but nothing is sure. The kid from my memory is very young, like how Olaf must have been when he first arrived to the Northern Lands. So I could have met him before that; he _could_ have been my friend before getting exiled… Or he could actually be another Olaf, because really, it wouldn't be that strange; there are like five different Olafs in the Northern Land's scroll, so I assume in Arendelle it's a common name.

So no, this doesn't mean I'm a Northerner. It doesn't _have_ to mean that, but the possibility is there. I guess I'll have to keep reading to find out.

After the Morrows' names there were several others, but no Elsas fitting my age and description were found. I kept reading for another half an hour, and the only solace I found was that I was about to finish. Also, Anna's snores were pretty relaxing.

Yes, she fell asleep at some point (probably before I read Olaf's name, or else she would have questioned me about why I suddenly gasped), and now is snoring and yes, _drooling_ , over the table in the cutest way possible. I wanted to move her to the couch, but knowing she'd probably wake up, I decided against it; I somehow managed to get the letter she was reading out from under her face, so she wouldn't ruin it with her saliva. She briefly mumbled something in her sleep, but fortunately didn't wake up.

Just when I think I'm about to fall sleep myself too, bored to death by all these names that mean nothing to me, I find something. Number 3102.

 _3102\. Classified (Classified archives. Section S. Number 7220). 1879._

 _Description: Platinum blonde hair and light blue eyes. Extremely dangerous._

I feel a chill run my spine. This is a description that is very similar to me. But… pretty much everything is classified, including gender, and also, _extremely_ dangerous? I wouldn't say I'm dangerous at all, so probably this really is talking about the Evil Queen of the Northern Lands. Maybe I should ask Anna.

No, I better keep reading, there are only like fifteen names left, and when I finish I'll wake her up. Yes, that will do.

* * *

Not even five minutes later, I finish the scroll, and… my name doesn't appear on it again. Which means, either I'm not a Northerner, or I'm number 3102, the classified one. I think it's time to wake Anna up. I mean, this _could_ wait until tomorrow, and she deserves a good night of sleep, but she still has to wake up in order to go to her room, so…

I turn to look at her, and find myself smiling lovingly at the sight. Her hair, though still in two braids, is messy; her head is resting on her arm, which has a very visible spot of drool on it, and her mouth is slightly opened, letting out soft snores. I giggle behind my hand before reaching out to wake her up… but my hand seems to have other plans, as it finds itself taking a strand of her hair and gently putting it behind her ear. Her hair is so soft! I could keep caressing it all night… but that'd be weird, and probably Anna would get mad if she discovered me, so no. I have to control myself.

My hand lingers a bit more cupping the soft skin of her face, but when she mumbles something in her sleep, I'm finally able to snap out of my contemplation and do what I have to do; shake her awake.

She blinks a few times, trying to adjust her eyes to the dim light of the library, before her eyes finally focus on me. She frowns in confusion before taking in her surroundings and coming out of her haze, to acknowledge me with a big yawn.

"Found something?" She mumbles, her eyes still half closed.

"Yes, but maybe you should go to sleep now and see it tomorrow."

"Nonsense, I'm fine." She says with her slurred voice as she takes the scroll off my hands. I sigh at her stubbornness, but I figure the sooner I tell her, the sooner she'll go to sleep.

"Okay… It's number 3102." I point out at it. "It's classified."

"And… you didn't find your name anywhere else?" She asks, yawning again.

"No. And the description of that number would match if that person were female."

"Okay… wait here." She instructs, still half asleep, before getting up with shaky legs, almost falling over the table in the process, but being able to hold herself up by clutching at the edge.

"Ugh… the floor is moving." She mumbles, but fortunately enough, the next steps she takes are a bit less shaky and she manages to get to the other side of the library in one piece. There, she gets out a little key and opens a door I hadn't noticed before, getting in and emerging soon later with a thick bunch of papers in her arms. She doesn't come to me though; she stays at a table near the strange entrance, searching between the documents for something.

When minutes pass and she just keeps looking at the same papers over and over again, I get worried and, though I'd like to go there, I decide against it because those are classified archives, so instead, I just ask.

"Anna? Is something wrong?"

"No!" She rushes to say, but then bites her lip and looks down in shame. "Yes…" She admits quietly. "Number 7220 from section S is missing."

"Are you sure?" I ask in disbelief.

"Yes." She sighs. "It shouldn't be though. I mean, supposedly, only the monarchs have access to the classified archives, so… either my parents took it out for some reason, or it got lost, which I highly doubt because they were very careful… or maybe someone stole it. I mean, it _does_ seem pretty important."

"Maybe…" I say, fearing the last possibility, after all, who would want a classified archive? And more importantly, _for what_? Surely nothing good.

"Anyways." She sighs. "I think we should retire now. I'll try to find it tomorrow."

"Okay." I nod, letting a yawn escape my mouth, but covering it with my hand. "Should I help you tomorrow too? With something else?" I ask hopeful. After all, I loved spending time with Anna instead of Kristoff for a change.

"Tomorrow I have some meetings. Sorry." She casts an apologetic smile at me. "I'll tell you when I need you though. It was less tedious to work with you than alone." She smiles gratefully at me and I do so too.

"I'm glad I could help you." I answer honestly. "But now I'm pretty tired, so I should go." I get up, trying to keep my eyes open. "Goodnight, Anna." I smile at her one more time, hesitating for a moment as I wonder if I should go and hug her goodnight or something, but decide against it since I know it probably wouldn't be proper. Plus, she's still holding the classified archives files.

As I exit the library though, I see her happily waving at me, and just seeing her smile makes all the tiredness I feel suddenly disappear. I can't wait to see her again.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4.**

I wake up to Gerda's usual knocks on the door, and her voice telling me to get out of bed and start the day. I really don't want to; after all most days, I have nothing to do. I mean, Anna hasn't called me to help her again once over the last three days. Maybe she doesn't trust me after all. Or maybe she's gotten tired of me.

Okay, so I'm probably being overly dramatic; three days is a reasonable amount of time given the redhead's severely packed schedule. She seems to always be in some meeting, out doing queenly duties, or sleeping, so obviously she just doesn't have time for me right now. I really hope she calls on me soon though, or I might die of boredom.

"Elsa!" Gerda's voice calls again, and I bury myself under the blankets, hoping to become one with the bed. "Elsa, come on, you need to get up!" She insists, but I just groan in response.

I hear her sigh. "Anna will come to collect you shortly." At this, my eyes widen and I pretty much fall out of bed in my haste to get up.

"I'm up!" I tell Gerda, who answers with a chuckle before coming into my room and giving me an amused smile.

"It seems you are quite fond of Anna, aren't you?" She teases and I can't help blushing.

"I-I just… She's so nice!" I try to defend myself.

"Don't worry dear. It's normal; everyone loves Anna, it's hard not to. Even if some doubt she's fit to be queen."

"Yeah. I've noticed." I answer with a grimace. I don't like people thinking poorly of Anna's skills as a ruler, not when the girl is literally killing herself for her kingdom.

"Don't worry about it." Gerda tells me as she chooses one dress for me to wear. "I'm sure they'll come to trust her and respect her in time. She's only been Queen for a year after all."

"I hope so." I sigh before taking the dress she's offering me. A light blue garment, not too fancy but a little bit nicer than my usual dresses, adorned with white embroidery depicting flowers. I really like this dress, and I'm glad Anna will see me in it today, so I don't waste time getting behind the changing screen. Once that's done I affix my hair in my usual braid, with a bit of my magic to keep my bangs in place; it's better than using lemon juice.

When I'm ready I give Gerda a little nod and she smiles before guiding me to the dining room, where I'll be meeting Anna for breakfast. We chat a little on the way; I tell her my headaches are a little better now, though my memory is not. She in turn tells me that the other servants are beginning to get used to my presence and don't insult me at every given opportunity. That's god, I think. It's a start. Then we arrive and she excuses herself to leave me alone with Anna, as the queen requested.

I can't say I'm not a little nervous about having breakfast with the monarch, but I'm also excited. And curious. I wonder if she's found out what happened to the classified archive and that's why she called me. Or maybe she just wanted to spend time with me. I hope it's both.

As I get in, I see the beautiful queen sitting at the table, already eating cupcakes like there's no tomorrow. Crumbs adorn her lips and her cheeks are bulging out, though her face remains as adorable as ever. I stifle a laugh behind my hand as I approach and sit in front of her.

"Good morning, Queen Anna. You look as beautiful as ever." I compliment her in all honesty as I admire her blue and black dress with pink floral patterns; comfy but elegant and made of the finest materials. Today her hair is up in an elaborate bun and she has her golden tiara atop her head.

"Good morning Elsa." She answers with a sheepish smile as she cleans her mouth with a handkerchief. "I'm glad to see you after so long. Are you doing well?"

"The usual." I shrug. "I still have headaches, greatly amplified by Kristoff's continued existence, but otherwise everything's fine."

"That's great." She smiles. "Please, take some food. Sorry I started eating before you arrived, but I was simply famished."

"Thank you." I say as I take some scrambled eggs and bread. "And… how have you been doing?"

"Well… I've had too many meetings, answered too many letters and read too many petitions." She says with a long, tired sigh. "But that's normal, so I don't complain… well, except for the investigations about the missing classified file."

"Oh! Yeah, how is that going?" Truth to be told, this is what I had wanted to ask ever since I walked in, but I figured it would be polite to make some conversation first.

"Not well." She pouts as she pushes her food around her plate. "I asked Kai (Gerda's husband) about it, since he knows practically everything that happens inside the palace, but… he says apparently my father took it out just before he… well…" She makes a vague gesture, but her sad gaze tells me all I need to know; he took it out before he died.

"Oh." I say, not knowing what to do.

"Yeah… apparently he never returned it, and instead took it on the trip with him, so now it's probably at the bottom of the ocean." She grimaces, and I know she's probably not only thinking about the paper, lying somewhere under the cold waters, but also her parent's bodies. I doubt they were ever recovered.

"Doesn't it seem a bit odd?" I ask, trying to distract her from the pain she must be feeling. "That they took such an important document with them on a trip to another country?"

"Not quite." Anna shook her head with a distracted look in her eyes, like she was trying to remember something. "They said they'd found a clue telling them how to get rid of the magic of the ice-wielders, and it was located in some western kingdom. The classified archive probably had important information about the magic of the Northerners, so they took it with them."

"Why would they want to do something like that? I thought there hadn't been any escapes in many years?" I question.

"There hasn't." She agrees. "But the question here is: at which cost?" The look she gives me when she says it gives me chills. "Many innocent people have died ever since the first ice-wielders appeared, both normal people and Northerners. Not to mention, our territory has been shrunken considerably. It would be in our best interest to find a cure, if there's indeed one."

"A cure?" I frown, not liking the idea at all. My powers, even if I don't use them that much, are a part of me; losing them would be like losing a leg, or a hand. You can live with it, but it'd never be the same again.

"I know it sounds awful." She comments, apparently noticing how I feel about this. "But I'm just saying what my parents said to me, and I have to admit that, to a certain extent, they were right. However, I doubt such thing as a 'cure' even exists."

"I… think it may." I say as my mind starts analyzing the situation. "How did your parents die?"

"Their ship sank?" Anna says, but it's more like a question.

"Yes, but _how_ did it sink?" I ask again, trying to get to the bottom of this.

"There was a huge storm, and they couldn't make it through." She answers, lowering her gaze in grief, and though I'm kinda hating me for making her tell me all of this painful events, I know it's necessary.

"And I bet it was a sudden storm." I frown, deep in thought.

"Yes, it surprised us all. It was pretty sunny here in Arendelle." She explains. "How did you know?"

"Then it may not have been a _natural_ storm." Her eyes widen at what I just implied, but she doesn't seem to want to believe it.

"No, that's impossible! They were like two days away from the coast when the storm happened, no one is that powerful!"

"The Ice Queen may be." I counter. "You said she keeps the entire Northern Lands in winter all year round. Do you really think causing a storm would be a problem to someone like that?" At this, she bites her lip, still reluctant to believe me, but I can see her starting to accept the truth in my words.

"But… why would she do that?" Before I can answer her question, however, she seems to realize which the answer is. "The cure." She deviates her gaze. "The Ice Queen wanted to keep them from finding it." I nod at her conjecture; I came to the same conclusion.

"It's a possibility." I say cautiously.

"But that doesn't necessarily means it exists, right? It could have been just a precaution." She retorts, and I have to agree she's right. I hadn't thought about that.

"It's still worth being investigated though."

"I'll look into that later." Anna nods with a serious expression. "And… I'll somehow find out if the Ice Queen really killed my parents." Her voice is filled with such resentment and anger, it's obvious this is still a raw wound for her… I'm just glad that anger isn't directed at me. Or at least I _think_ it's not directed at me (I'd know if I was the Ice Queen, right?).

"I'll help you, if you want." I offer, placing my hand over hers to calm her down, but when she looks at it and then at me, I realize my mistake and get it off her like I'd been burn. "I-I'm sorry!" I hastily apologize. "I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay." She interrupts me. "It felt… nice." She blushes as she gives me a shy smile. "And it's not like I'm not touched by many people every day." I raise an eyebrow at her odd comment and she rushes to explain. "I-I mean… when the servants bath me and dress me, a-and when Kristoff hugs me and all! And I'm a very touchy person too, so…" She gives me an embarrassed smile, and I can't help giggling at how cute and un-regal she is.

"Okay then." I smile at her. "I'm glad I didn't upset you. And… it also felt nice touching you." I blush at my own words and avert my gaze, trying to conceal my nervousness. "Your hand, I mean. It's soft. And warm." I try to correct my words, but apparently I didn't help my case much, and end up feeling even more embarrassed.

"Thanks. I guess." She answers, equally awkward before we fall silent, the only sound being the one of our forks hitting the plates, for a few painfully slow minutes in which I fidget nervously and look anywhere but Anna. There's a tense atmosphere around us, but I just don't know why that is, or how to break it; just that it's making me uncomfortable.

After a few more minutes, Anna finally speaks again.

"Oh, by the way, since the scroll with the Northerner's names didn't help us to find out more about your origins, I'm thinking about sending a letter to my cousin, Rapunzel." She says in a casual tone, like the awkward interaction from earlier didn't happen. I look up at her and see she isn't flustered anymore, so I answer as normally as I can.

"And… how would that help us?"

"She's the princess of Corona, and she likes to go in town and meet all the people she can. If she hasn't see you there, she probably knows someone who has. That is, if you're indeed from that kingdom." She explains.

"I see… " I pause, trying not to show my insecurities, because really, I don't think I'm from Corona _at all_. "Very well. I think it's a good idea." I force a smile, but she seems to believe it, as she smiles widely in response.

"Great! I'll send the letter later today." She says enthusiastically as she keeps eating.

"Are you two close?" I ask politely when I notice her excitement.

"Kind of." She shrugs. "I only met her like three years ago."

"Why?" I tilt my head, curious about this intriguing information.

"It's better if she tells you herself." Anna smirks. "Or rather, _her husband_ does. He always likes to get all the attention."

"Okay?" I say unsure.

"Relax, you'll like them. They're very nice people." She says, and by the way her eyes shine I know she really loves her cousin. Even if they've only known each other for a relatively short amount of time, Anna is really looking forward to seeing her again.

As I keep eating my breakfast, I can't help wondering just what kind of people they are, and if Rapunzel is like Anna at all. I can't wait to see them, but at the same time I'm nervous, because… what if Rapunzel says she doesn't know me, nor knows anyone who may know me? What would Anna do then? Would she consider that proof enough that I'm an escaped Northerner? Would she treat me differently then? I hope not. I think not; Anna is very sweet and kind after all. And yet… I've suddenly lost my appetite.

* * *

After having breakfast with Anna, she goes to do something in town and I stay at the palace with nothing to do. As always. And _of course_ she left me with Kristoff, who didn't waste one second before glaring at me when Anna left. I sighed but proceeded to ignore him, before deciding to head to the library; at least there I can find some peace and quiet.

I started looking at the titles and picking up at least one book per subject. I barely know anything about myself, so much less about history, science and maths, right? Surprisingly though, some things seemed familiar, and as I read through each book I found I could understand the various subjects pretty well.

For example, I remembered knowing about the war between two brothers that separated Arendelle from Corona about two hundred years ago, only for them to form an alliance with the marriage of King Adgar of Arendelle and Princess Idunn of Corona, Anna's parents. I also remembered having read about Europe's economy, with Corona and the Southern Isles being two the major kingdoms that control large shares of the market. And the best part was remembering everything about geometry! And arithmetic, but mostly geometry.

I think I'll be busy designing intricate geometric patterns the next few days, but right now I wanted to keep reading, and see if I could remember something more.

However, soon it's time to have supper, and with Anna busy in some meeting, I would usually have it with Gerda. But not today, no; today I'm having supper with this bulky and smelly guard that always has a permanent scowl on his face, at least when he's with me. Yes, I'm talking about Kristoff. And let me tell you, his lack of manners is making me lose my appetite.

"Can you please stop chewing so loudly?!" I snap as he takes a big bite from a chicken's leg. When he proceeds to pretend he didn't hear me, I insist, even more exasperated than before. "Geez, it seems you haven't eaten in weeks because of how quickly you're devouring your food. It's not like it's going to run away."

"Well, excuse me, not all of us are royals." He snarls back at me, speaking through a mouth full of food.

"I'm no royal either, and yet I _do_ act like a civilized human being." I retort.

"Ha! You sure about that, Ice Queen?"

"I'm not the Ice Queen! I mean, why would she even come here? And why would she lose her memory?" I voice the reasons I've been telling myself ever since I read the Northerner's names and descriptions and discovered the supposed Ice Queen was my only match. "And even if I was the Ice Queen, she was probably a peasant here in Arendelle." I add.

"Not necessarily." He frowns, genuinely surprised about my ignorance. "Many of the Northerners were actually nobles. Didn't you know that the ones who took the life of Anna's grandfather were in fact distant relatives of the royal family?" I blink, surprised by this new information.

"So… they _actually_ had some sort of claim to the throne?" I ask to confirm that I heard right.

"Well… kind of. I mean, they would have still had to kill Anna's father, and a few of the higher up government ministers but… yeah, pretty much." He shrugs as he takes a loaf of bread and eats half of it with one single bite, but I'm too busy processing what he just said to even mind his bad manners.

"But… doesn't assassination attempts like that happen all the time in most royal families?" I ask, more to myself than to him. "Why did the king blame all the Northerners?"

"Well, what did you expect? That he let them go free? I mean, they _did_ kill his father." He tries to defend the late king.

"But he could have just banished the murderers." I reason. "All the others were innocent."

"Oh, he _executed_ the murderers." Kristoff clarifies. "So, he _did_ spare the 'innocents'." He puts quotes the last word with his fingers. "He was a merciful and wise king." From his tone of voice I'm betting he respected and looked up to Anna's father a lot, especially after he took him in, but I have to make him see the errors on the king's actions.

"If he would have been wise, there wouldn't almost be a war between Arendelle and the Northern Lands."

"I agree. He should have killed you all before you had a chance to kill us." He snarls, pain and resentment clear in his voice. No doubt he's thinking about the Northerners that killed his family.

"Not all Northerners are bad, okay? And it's only because of people like you, so judgmental and mean, that they attack Arendelle." I answer with spite on my voice, pouring out all my frustrations on him.

"How do you know they are not bad? You don't even know where you came from!"

"Well, then...!" Before I can even begin to tell him what I think of him after he gave me such a low blow, another guard shows up and calls him, effectively ending our little dispute.

"Kristoff." He says.

"Oh, hi… uh… John?" He greets him, though apparently he didn't remember his name.

"Gerard." He corrects him, and by his name I remember he was the guard that was with Anna the other day. He's even worse than Kristoff, if I recall correctly. "The queen sent for you. Apparently, she needs you to meet her at the outskirts of the city, near the southern gate."

"Did she say why?" Kristoff frowns.

"No, but she did say it was urgent." He prompts.

"Uh… but what about Elsa?" He points at me. "I can't just leave her alone."

"I'll take care of her, don't worry." He answers curtly, like he doesn't want to prolong this conversation any longer.

"Alright, if her majesty orders it…. I guess I'll be on my way." He salutes him tiredly and gets up, and is about to get out, when he turns towards me and speaks. "Oh and, by the way, I'd go to my room and stay there for the rest of the day if I were you." He looks briefly at George in a way I can't point out what it means before retiring.

I look to my new guard and, when he just stares at me with an angry frown, I sigh and keep eating. At least Kristoff isn't here to ruin my appetite anymore, though I wonder what he meant… I hope it's nothing.

* * *

Despite spending the rest of the evening trying to convince myself that Kristoff was probably just wanting to unsettle me as I continue reading on the library, I end up retiring early to my room. As I and my guard enter the wing where my room is, though, I start to feel nervous, like a weird sensation at the pit if my stomach that tells me something isn't quite right. Every shadow looks like a monster, and every little sound is a predator trying to jump over me.

Of course, I know it's just my imagination; I'm in Arendelle's castle after all, what could possibly happen to me? Probably just Kristoff's words getting into my head, I mean, it even _that_ dark yet! And I'm the only person here, besides Gerard.

Wait. Where is everyone? There should be servants around here at this time of the day. And why are there less lit torches than I remembered? I start slowing down my paces, hugging my midsection as my fears resurface anew. I feel some kind of anxiety and have the sudden urge to run, but still, I contain myself, trying to convince me that I'm just being paranoid.

"Turn here." Gerard says as we pass through a hall that I don't remember going down before.

"But…" I try to protest.

"It's faster this way." He insist, putting his hand on my shoulder in what feels like a very intimidating way, though is probably just placating. He must have noticed how nervous I am. Yes that must be it. I hope. But at least I'm safe as long as I don't leave the castle, right?

As we continue walking down the corridor, the silence becomes unsettling. My own footsteps seem threatening and my breathing becomes agitated. I don't know what to do, maybe I should go back? Why did I even listen to Gerard?!

Just before I can decide to go back from where I came from, I suddenly see movement at my side, and turn around to see someone launching himself at me. I try to raise my hands and create an ice barrier, but I'm a second too slow and the person manages to strike my head with whatever he's holding on his hand. I feel a sharp pain before my vision starts to fade as I crumble to the ground.

* * *

 **A/N: I know it's been way too long since I last updated, and this is a short chapter compared to the others, plus not much happens and it ends in a cliffhanger, but... please don't hate me, and leave a review if you can, because I will compensate you, I promise! The reason this chapter is so short is because I decided to divide it in two, and so the next week I'll update the other half :)**

 **Also, if you want to check out the new cover for this story, you can do so at my DeviantArt, TaniaHylian :D**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5.**

When I wake up I'm in some kind of room, completely dark aside from the light of a torch at the other end of it. I try to move, but soon discover that I'm chained to a chair, my hands entrapped in a pair of those special shackles I had when I first woke up after being captured. As expected, nothing happens when I try to conjure some ice.

Cursing, I try to struggle against my bounds, even though I know it's in vain, and when that doesn't work, I scream for help, hoping someone will hear me. But no one comes to my rescue; they can't hear me, or maybe they simply don't care, after all, why would they help the infamous ice-wielder they all seem to fear and hate?

I start trembling in fear, wondering who captured me and for what purpose, my mind making me imagine all the worst-case scenarios in one second. The most realistic though, is that they abducted me to kill me. My stomach twists painfully at the thought and I feel like I want to throw up, cry and faint, all at the same time.

Stupid Kristoff for leaving me with Gerard. Stupid Gerard for leading me into a trap. And stupid me for not having seen it before, for not having defended myself in time. Now I'm probably going to die because of my stupidity.

Suddenly, the door opens and a bunch of men get in. When they close the door, I see there are six of them, and most of their faces look familiar, meaning I've seen them around the castle; Gerard is obviously with them. I clench my teeth, knowing that without my powers I have no chance against them, but even though I'm paralyzed with fear, I know I can't give up just jet. I don't want to die!

"Are you comfy now, Northerner?" One of them says with a mocking tone.

"You wasn't getting used to the commodities of being her majesty's special pet, were you?" Another one adds, obviously trying to get to me. "I bet you wished Anna was here to save you."

"What do you want?" I ask, trying to conceal my fear so they don't see just how scared I am.

"We want to set things right." Gerard answers, stepping towards me. "Our naïve and young queen obviously doesn't know anything about your kind, so we're going to save her before her own inexperience kills her."

"Anna will know about this. And then no one will be there to save you from _your_ stupidity." I answer in the bravest and most defiant way I can, which unfortunately isn't much.

"Really? Who will tell her? And who will even care if you disappear?" He laughs, and the worst thing is that I know… he's probably right. Even Anna and Gerda, who are the only ones who treat me civilly, have only known me for a couple of weeks. They'd probably search for me for a few days, then assume I escaped and forget about me at all.

That thought stings greatly, knowing I could simply die and no one would even remember me, much less cry for me.

"That's right, ice witch. No one would even try and find you." Another one of them speaks, trying to hurt my feelings even more, and succeeding.

"Plus, even if they did, all they'll find is a bunch of ashes." The one next to him laughs.

"I didn't think we were going to burn her alive?" One of them says, but it sounds more like a question.

"That's the usual punishment for witches." One of them answers, and my stomach twists painfully. I really hope they're not seriously considering that. "However, as we've already discussed, we have to make it quick, least Kristoff manages to return to the castle and starts wondering why she isn't in her room."

His words give me some hope. Maybe Kristoff is searching for me right now. Maybe he'll rescue me! But… maybe he won't even care. He hates me.

No, I have to stay positive. If there's even the smallest of possibilities to get out of here alive, then I'll take it. I have to buy some time for Kristoff to find me.

"Wait." I say, grabbing their attention. "If you're going to kill me, can I at least ask you a question? Why do you want to take my life? I've done nothing to you."

"You say you've done nothing to us?!" One of them, the bulkiest and scariest, goes towards me and takes me by the collar of my dress, making me flinch in fear. "The Northerners killed my wife! And my unborn son!" He adds, with so much pain and fury in his voice that, if he wasn't trying to kill me, I'd probably feel sorry for him.

"Well, yeah, but… it wasn't me." I retort, my answer making him even angrier.

"Yes it wasn't you, but I know if you could, you'd kill us all right now! Your kind are evil and heartless. I'm gonna kill you!" At this, he takes out a knife, and the sight of the wicked blade makes me shrink further into the chair as I hear a faint cracking sound behind me. Maybe upsetting them wasn't such a good idea.

"Wait!" Gerard stops him, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Remember: each of us will have an opportunity to hurt her, but _I_ will be the one to kill her. That was the deal." He reminds him with a stern expression. At his words the others nod, and I double my efforts to get free. I can't die like this!

"Alright." The man sighs. "I guess I'll just make a little scar on her pretty face." He brings the knife to my face and I flinch away from it, though it's not of much use since I'm chained to the chair. Suddenly, I feel the tip of the blade pressing against my left eyebrow, no doubt drawing some blood, but not leaving any serious injuries. Yet.

I shut my eyes tightly and try to turn my head to the side, but he tames my chin and holds me in place, and starts slowly moving the knife downwards, making me clench my teeth to avoid screaming in pain. I don't want to give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

I'm scared though, my head thumping on my inside my chest a thousand miles per hour. I feel like I'm going to faint and… suddenly, hear the cracking sound again, this time stronger, and open my eyes to see what it is. I don't think the sight of ice has ever been as wonderful for me as it is now. My powers are working! There might be hope.

More than just hope, actually; the man that was hurting me wasn't paying attention to my ice, and so it's not difficult to entrap his legs. When he notices this, though, it's too late; my ice works fast, immobilizing him before he can even ask for help.

"Hey! What do you think you are doing?!" One of the men exclaims when he notices this, as he tries to get to me, but the ice is spreading fast, and he ends up slipping over it and falling face first to the ground.

"You monster! How dare you attack us?" Gerard exclaims before approaching towards me, more carefully than his friend, as he unsheathes his sword. I command the ice to crawl into my chains, being surprisingly easy to control it, and I cool it down even further, trying to make them break. However, the sight of all five men trying to get to me and stop me, as well as the mini storm I've caused in here, doesn't let me concentrate, so I close my eyes and focus on the ice.

It's a curious feeling, and if my life didn't depend on this, I'd probably marvel at how the ice is like a part of my body and I can feel everything it feels. I can feel from the chains growing weaker and weaker, to the men slipping on my ice. I concentrate all my power on the chains with the sole thought of getting free and not dying, and finally scream at the same time a powerful blast of magic explodes from my hands, breaking the chains and making my attackers fall to the ground.

Sensing I'm now free, I don't wait for the men to recover, and instead I get up and run for my life.

I can feel the storm following me, and the ice forming under my feet with each step I take, but I have more urgent matters right now; I still have the shackles on, and though I'm trying to get them off, they are much stronger than he chains. Also, I hear hurried steps behind me, probably Gerard and the others following me, so I have to get out of here and back to the castle before they catch up to me.

I'm in some kind of tunnel, the only source of light being some torches here and there. From time to time there are also some doors on the wall, but I don't know what's behind them, and I don't think stopping to try and open them would be worth it. However, I'm getting tired, especially since I have to carry this awful metal things around, and I don't know how much longer I'll resist. I hope this thing isn't as long as it seems.

Thankfully, the tunnel soon ends on a spiral staircase, and I don't even stop to think before skipping upstairs as fast as my feet can carry me. Soon, I arrive at a wooden door that I blast open so I can keep running down another corridor, similar to the first one but with more torches and newer walls. I just hope the castle is near here, and I find my way there.

I turn to see the men still following me, all wielding weapons and snarling at me. I try to pick up the pace, but I end up falling because of the weight of the shackles making me lose my balance. My knees hurt, but I still try to get up before they catch me, however, I feel someone grabbing at my dress and I crawl to get away from him as I order my powers to tear away the tissue that's been caught in his hand. I manage to do it, but I freeze when I feel the point of a sword pressing against my back.

"Stop where you are or I will slaughter you like an animal." A deep voice says, and I gulp, trying to swallow my fear and calm down my racing heart. But it's useless; tears are even starting to fall from my eyes. It's too much for me.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A very familiar voice sounds in front of me, and I look up to see that it's Kristoff standing there with a crossbow pointed at the others. I don't think I've ever been happier to see him.

"Kristoff! How did you find us?" Gerard asks.

"I just followed the cold. You'd be surprised how clear it has permeated throughout the whole castle." He pauses and takes a step towards them. "Now drop your weapons if you don't want to have an arrow sticking out of your skull." He says in a threatening way.

"Kristoff, look, you know what we're doing is right. These creatures are dangerous! You must know that better than anyone else." He tries to convince him, and I see a flicker of doubt in his eyes that I don't like at all.

"I'm just following orders." He finally says after a long pause, though he's still somewhat hesitant. "Queen Anna commanded me to protect her and I will obey."

"Queen Anna doesn't know what she's doing; she's just a child playing at being monarch." One of the men says, and even _I_ am tempted to freeze him, however Kristoff beats me to protest against his comment.

"Don't talk about Anna like that!" He snarls. "She's a good person, and her father taught her well. She still has a lot to learn, but at least she's trying."

"But even if that's the case, she made a terrible mistake bringing this monster to the castle. I know that, _you_ know that, so why stop us?" Gerard tries to persuade him once again.

"I'm sure she has good reasons, and if this ice-wielder became a threat, I trust Anna would make the right decision." Kristoff says, surprising me. "I have faith in her." His voice is so determined, so sure of his convictions… I almost admire him.

"Very well, you've asked for it." Gerard sighs before leaping to attack Kristoff, who fires his crossbow. A shriek sounds, indicating that the arrow hit its target, and I use the distraction that this causes to try and get away from the scene. However, someone grabs the chain still attached to the shackles and I fall again.

I turn around to see it's one of my attackers, walking towards me with murderous eyes as Kristoff deals with all the others. Suddenly, he raises his weapon; a heavy hammer that could no doubt break someone's head in one single blow, and I cover my head with my shackled hands, trying to protect myself somehow, even if I know it's hopeless. In that moment of intense fear and anguish, I feel the strongest pull of energy I've ever felt and immediately a barrier of thick ice stops the deadly weapon.

I hastily get up and take a few steps back, conscious that, even though the man doesn't have his weapon anymore (it being trapped in my ice), he's still potentially deadly. The good thing is, the explosion of power apparently managed to destroy the shackles, and so I'm now able to move more freely and, most importantly, to use my powers more precisely.

I face him, ready to release my magic the moment he gets close. My heart is pounding on my ears and I feel I might be ready to faint because of the exhaustion, both emotional and physical, that I'm experiencing, but I force myself to hold on. I just might survive now that Kristoff is here, so I'm not giving up.

Suddenly, the man tries to attack me, but I shoot ice at his feet and make him fall, before stepping forward and creating chains around him to immobilize his limbs. It almost scares me how easily I took him out.

When I look towards Kristoff, I see he's already defeated three men and is now fighting against the other two. I'd help him, but I feel the rush of adrenaline already fading, together with my powers, which seem to be weakening by the second. So I just stay here, watching Kristoff parry blow after blow without effort, showing just how great of a warrior he is. Or how awful the other two are. Or both.

Suddenly, one of them makes a mistake and Kristoff hits his shoulder, making him drop his sword, before he pushes him to the ground and kicks his head, knocking him unconscious. Then, the other one furiously attacks him, obviously upset that Kristoff just managed to defeat his last friend, but in his haste, he doesn't look out for the ice, and ends up slipping in it before Kristoff takes this chance to his head him with the handle of his sword.

With that the last of my attackers has fallen, and my guard doesn't waste one second before getting out handcuffs and restraining each assailant, ensuring they won't escape. Once that's taken care of, he turns towards me, tired and with a few cuts here and there, but still trying to make sure he did his job right and I didn't get killed.

"Are you alright?" He asks walking towards me.

"I-I'm fine." I choke out, even though my legs are about to give in and my vision is starting to fade. It was too much emotion for one night.

"Are you sure? You don't seem fine." He eyes me skeptically as he comes to a stop in front of me. "A-and how did you even create all this ice?!" He exclaims, shocked. "It must have taken a lot of energy to break through the shackles. Maybe that's why you look a little pale."

I remember how I did it. The sensations I felt. How I let fear and survival instinct take control over me, eventually saving me but leaving me feeling empty inside. I'm drained, and feel like I'm falling over. Suddenly all I can think of is negative emotions and I'm afraid they'll consume me. I need some sort of comfort. I need… a friend.

And so, I hold on to the closest thing to that that I have right now, Kristoff, and start crying over his chest. He seems shocked by this, his body rigid like he is uncomfortable, but he doesn't dare pushing me away for some reason. Maybe he can feel I need a hug more than ever and that's why he places a hesitant hand on my back.

"Hey… It's okay. You're safe now, Elsa." His voice is soothing, and the words are exactly what I need to hear now. Together with the feeling of being so close to a human being, it helps soothe the hatred and fear threatening to consume me, if only slightly. "You'll be okay." His voice is the last thing I hear before my strained body finally decides it's had enough and I fall unconscious.

* * *

 **A/N: So, that was chapter five, or the second part of chapter four, however you want to see it XD. I hope you liked it and leave a review/favorite/follow if you did. Thanks for reading :D**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6.**

 _I'm running, as fast as my feet can carry me. I'm trying not to make a sound, but the crunching of the snow under my feet isn't helping much. I'm scared. I don't want to get caught. I've heard what happens to those who are discovered doing something they shouldn't._

 _My stomach twists and I force myself not to think about that. There's no turning back now; what's done is done. I knew what I was getting into and I still decided to do it. Not that I had much of a choice, of course._

 _I haven't eaten in more than a week. Nor have my friends and… family? I guess I can call them family; they adopted me as their own after all. It's winter, and it's getting harder and harder to find food. Bulda has been doing her best to keep us from starving to death, but… she can't do the impossible. More so considering she doesn't have any powers._

 _That's why I'm helping them, even if I know stealing is wrong._

" _I didn't have a choice"; I repeat in my head as I tightly clutch the bread I managed to take from the guards' cabin. They have more than enough food. It's fair._

 _Suddenly, I find myself stuck in a pile of snow that reaches up to my chest. I panic. I must have stepped into a hole covered by the white powder. It's gonna be difficult getting out without help._

 _Holding the bread with my right hand only, I place my left hand over the snow and try to push myself out. Of course, the only thing I manage to do is to insert my arm deep into the snow without moving an inch. Sighing, I realize I only have one option; use my magic._

 _My magic. My curse. The source of all my problems, and yet… my only chance to get out of here before someone sees me._

 _Carefully, I pull my left glove off and press my hand against the snow, trying to make it hard so I can get some support and push myself out of here. However, just as I'm beginning to accomplish that, I feel someone grab me from behind and forcefully pull me out of there, holding me above the ground. I scream in fear and starting kicking the person, trying to get out of his grip. But he's strong, and I'm just a little girl._

" _Let me go!" I demand, scared to death._

" _I'm not letting you go, little thief." He says with spite on his voice. "I can't let you get away with this." I keep kicking him, struggling to loosen his grip as he carries me somewhere, but he doesn't relent. So I resort to my last option; using my ice._

 _He drops me when I basically freeze his hand, and instantly I try to run, but he's faster and grabs me by my collar, pulling me back and threatening me with his sword pressed against my throat._

Of course he's a guard. This can't get any worse.

" _You thought you could just attack me and run away?" He snarls angrily. "Do you have any idea which is the punishment for attacking a Royal Guard?" He tries looking into my eyes, but I just look down, scared and ashamed. Of course I know the punishment, but I need to avoid it. Maybe I can reason with him._

" _I didn't mean to attack you. I'm sorry." I say with an apologetic tone, but he doesn't seem to believe me._

" _And what about stealing? You didn't mean to steal too?" He asks, almost yelling, and I cower as I timidly glance at the bread I'm still holding in my arms. I slowly shake my head._

" _I didn't want to steal, but… I was hungry and I…" I pause, trying to form a coherent sentence despite being so terrified. "The law says every citizen has the right to have enough food to survive." I cite, remembering having read something like that once. Before I ended up like this._

" _Well, yes." He admits, sheathing his sword and letting go of me, gesturing at me to get up. I do so and, for a moment, I innocently think he'll let me go. "But ice-wielders are not citizens!" He suddenly yells as his hand slams into my face with such force that I fall to the ground, tasting blood in my mouth. As the pain registers and tears start coming out of my eyes, I realize he just slapped me._

But that is illegal! _I think as I stare into his stern eyes, trying to alleviate the pain by pressing my hand into my sore cheek._

Not anymore.

 _I start crying as I realize my situation. I always knew ice-wielders were hated, but… I never thought we wouldn't even be considered human enough to have the same rights as other people._

 _But_ I'm _human! I know I am. I feel pain just like others. I feel guilt and remorse. I feel fear and anger, love and joy… I'm human!_

 _I want to scream, to cry, to just crumble and never get back up. I don't want to live in a world where I'm treated as less as what I really am, but before I can do any of those things, the guard starts dragging me away._ Literally _dragging me through the snow, as I do my best not to move an inch. But his grip is firm and my complaints fall on deaf ears. I'm getting angrier and more scared by the second, though I don't know where he's taking me._

 _After what feels like miles of him dragging me somewhere against my will, but are probably just a couple dozen of feet, our destination finally comes into sight; the whipping pole. I've seen it before, but when I hear someone is getting punished, I make sure to stay as far away from it as possible. I still hear the screams though, and they sometimes fill my nightmares._

 _Desperately, I try to back away from it, not caring how much it hurts as I try to pull away with all my strength. But the guard's grip is relentless as he keeps hold of my right arm, dragging me towards the place where I'll be tortured._

" _Stop fighting!" He snaps. "You know you deserve it."_

" _No I don't'!" I retort, trying to convince myself as much as I try to convince him, and at the same time, I somehow manage to get my hand out of his grip, though he's left holding the glove. But I don't have time to panic about it because before I know it, he's lunging towards me, obviously trying to continue dragging me towards that awful pole._

 _In that moment, fear takes control, and all I can feel is a powerful blast of magic leaving my hands, slamming into the guard. He stumbles a little before falling to the ground… frozen. I let out a silent scream, but I don't have time to feel horrified about my actions. Out of the corner of my eye I see a group of ten guards, which had been previously stationed by the pole, running towards me. They have their swords and crossbows out, and look ready and willing to use them._

 _I'm no fool. I know if I don't do anything, they'll kill me, and I don't want to die._

 _But I don't want to kill them either. There must be another way!_

 _Except there isn't. They're almost on top of me. I have to make a choice, before it's too late._

 _Closing my eyes, I let out all my power as I scream as loud as I possibly can. But I still hear their shrieks. I still feel the warm blood splatter on my face. I feel the bodies impaled on the icicles I created._

 _In that moment I don't feel fear, or regret; I don't feel guilt or sorrow. I'm just a monster. The very thing I never wanted to be._

* * *

"I-I didn't want to kill them! I'm sorry!" I cry, not wanting everyone to see me as a monster.

"Elsa! Elsa, wake up! It's just a dream!" I hear someone yelling my name, and feel that same person shaking me furiously, probably trying to wake me up.

I can feel a soft and warm bed beneath me, and my mind is disoriented, like when you wake up in the morning.

 _It was a dream? But it felt so real!_

Still, the dream is now fading, and I can only remember small fragments of it. Still enough to give me a general idea though.

Now awake, I try to open my eyes, but as I do so, I see my vision is blurry with tears. I'm crying. But I manage to recognize the hair color of the person who woke me up.

"A-Anna?" I ask with a shaky voice, noticing I'm trembling like jelly. I feel a heavy tightness in my chest, like I'm being torn apart on the inside out, and it makes ice appear all over the sheets that are clenched tightly between my hands. I already have a terrible headache which is only getting worse, to the point I have to press my hands over my temple in order to somewhat placate it.

"Elsa? Are you okay?" She asks worriedly as she gently cradles my face with her soft hands.

"M-my head…" I manage to choke out.

"Is it hurting? Hold on. I'll call Gerda." That said, she gets up and goes to the door, says something to someone (I don't know what, because I'm too busy trying not to freeze the room) and quickly returns, sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Don't worry, she'll be here soon with a cup of her magic tea." She reassures me, obviously trying to cheer me up, but I can't even answer because of the pain.

"It really hurts, doesn't it?" She says in a gentle tone, and I just manage to nod a bit before I'm wrapped in a pair of gentle and warm arms. "Come here." She says, noticing I'm trying to resist, as I know it's not proper for her, the Queen, to hug someone like me.

"Hey, it's alright. Sometimes a hug can help ease the pain."

"B-but…" I try to protest, but she shushes me.

"No buts. I owe you." She replies stubbornly, and I'm left confused.

"W-why?" I ask.

"I should have been more alert, seen how angry my subjects were, and stopped them before they tried to kill you. I thought just making you my special guest would deter anyone who'd want to try and murder you, but…" She sighs. "Sometimes I'm too naïve."

At first I don't know what she's talking about, but images from what happened slowly start filtering into my mind; the kidnapping, waking up chained to a chair, escaping, running, breaking the shackles, being saved by Kristoff and passing out. I start trembling all over again, as I recall the fear and rage I felt. Almost unconsciously I grab hold of Anna and clutch her tightly, hoping she can somehow erase all those bad memories.

Her smell is quite nice, and soothing. And the warmth of her body is very comforting, not to mention how soft her clothes are! Being in her arms truly feels like heaven, and it helps a bit, not only with my headache but also with the memories, and soon I'm feeling a lot better thanks to her.

"I-It wasn't your fault." That's the first thing I say when I'm composed enough to speak.

"But it was! I should have been less trusting." She protests, pulling away from me a little, only enough to for us to see each other's eyes. And Anna's eyes are… wow. I didn't recall they were so pretty, so warm and shiny. I could get lost in them.

"I was so worried about you." She says with such sincerity it takes me aback. "When days passed and you didn't wake…" Her voice trembles, and I take the opportunity to interrupt her.

"H-hold on. How long was I unconscious?" I ask, fearing the answer.

"Five days." She admits. "I was worried you wouldn't wake up at all. I don't think I could've lived with myself if you…" She cuts herself off, shaking her head as if trying to get rid of those bad thoughts. "But I'm glad you've woken up now." She smiles at me. "I guess getting out of those shackles must have taken a toll on you, huh?"

"You have no idea." I sigh, trying not to think about how tired and sore my body feels.

"Well, I don't blame you. Those things were specially designed for Northerners, and no one before you had ever managed to break out of them. At least not that I know of." She sounds impressed, but not worried, which is good. I was afraid she was going to start jumping into crazy conclusions, like I'm the Ice Queen or something like that.

"Must have been the fear." I shrug, but just before the redhead says something more, someone knocks on the door.

"Oh, that must be Gerda!" Anna exclaims, getting up from the bed. I miss her warmth already. "I have to go now, I'm sorry." She casts an apologetic glance at me. "I've been too worried about you to do much of my paper work and I really need to catch up."

"Okay…" I say, but she must've seen how disappointed I really am, because she rushes to try and make me feel better. Though just knowing she was _that_ worried about me does a great deal towards improving my mood.

" _But_ , if you can, and don't feel like you might die just by getting up… would you like to meet me later at my studio?" She asks hopeful, and of course I can't say no to that adorable look of hers! It doesn't matter if I can barely breathe and I'm feeling painful tingles all over my body; I'll go.

"Sure." I answer with a little smile, loving how Anna's smile widens at my answer.

"Great! See you later then." She answers before waving goodbye at me and running out of the room, almost knocking Gerda over as she passes.

I chuckle. She's been gone for no longer than three seconds and I already miss her. She really is a very likable person.

* * *

After Gerda basically crushed me in a hug and worriedly asked if I was okay, she made me drink at least four cups of tea. After that I was finally allowed to dress (with a little bit of difficulty), go have some breakfast and then go meet with Anna. Of course I saw Kristoff first, and he was more awkward than usual. It was almost like he didn't really know how to treat me now that he doesn't hate me as much anymore. He just said hello and tried to keep quiet the rest of the time, only giving me short answers when I asked something.

Oh well, I think he'll warm up to me eventually. I hope.

Now I'm waiting for Anna outside of her study, hoping I could get in and sit down on one of the chairs she undoubtedly has. But of course I have to wait for the Queen, even if my body feels like it will collapse at any second now. I wonder where she is.

"Kristoff… do you know where is Anna?" I ask my guard. He looks at me briefly and I can see he's considering not answering, but then he reluctantly speaks.

"I think she went to the docks to receive a royal from another kingdom."

"I see…" I sigh. "I hope she doesn't take long."

We stay in awkward silence for a few more minutes before I finally hear the steps of someone making their way here. I turn to see it's Anna turning the corner. I smile and wave at her excitedly before I see someone else is with her. It's a girl, probably around her age, with short brown hair, green eyes and facial features very similar to Anna. She's dressed in a simple pink dress and is… barefoot?

Weird. I wonder who she is.

"Hello there!" The stranger says with a big smile when they get closer.

"Hello, princess Rapunzel." Kristoff answers with a bow.

"H-hi." I say, nervous now that I know the girl is royalty. Anna's cousin, if I remember correctly. "Your highness." I try to make a courtesy, but I wince when my sore body protests.

"Whoa! Take it easy." Anna rushes to my side and holds me up before I can fall to the ground.

"I'm fine." I assure her, but she doesn't seem to believe me.

"Let's get inside." She takes my arms and gently pushes me into the studio, making me sit down in one of the couches she has in there, her cousin taking the one opposite to us.

"So… Elsa, what are you doing here?" Rapunzel asks in a cheerful manner, but both Anna and I instantly freeze.

"You know me?" I ask in disbelief, momentarily forgetting my pain.

"Yeah. Don't you remember me?" She asks playfully angry, feigning being offended by the fact.

"Actually, Elsa doesn't remember anything." Anna interferes, obviously as intrigued as I am to know where Rapunzel and I met. The princess's eyes widen at this.

" _She_ is the Northerner?" She exclaims. Obviously Anna talked to her about me before introducing us, but apparently the redhead didn't mention my name.

"You know her, don't you?" Anna asks with curiosity, and the princess quickly nods.

"She was living in the city of Corona for three weeks. She said she needed to see my parents, but after the guards told her they had left on a trip and no one knew when they'd return, she decided to wait. Then she just… disappeared." Rapunzel explained, only making more questions pop up in my head, and probably Anna's too.

What was I doing there? Why did I need to speak to the monarchs? Am I from Corona? Why did I suddenly disappear? Where did I go after that? Why did I come to Arendelle?

It's too much for my poor head to handle.

I place my head between my hands, trying to ease the pain, but it's for naught. Stupid headache. I wonder why I have it.

"Elsa! Are you okay?" Anna asks concerned, trying to get a better look at my face. I blink a little, attempting to focus on something other than the pain.

"Y-yeah." I lie, because a simple headache isn't going to stop me from getting answers about my past. "It just hurts a bit." I force a little smile before turning to look at Rapunzel. "What else do you know about me? Did I mention anything?"

"Talking to you was like pulling teeth." She chuckled. "You were very secretive; it took me a whole week of coercing to finally get you to tell me your name!"

"Really?" I raise an eyebrow and the princess nods in response. Well… that sounds suspicious. I wonder what I was doing there.

"But… what did she want?" Anna asks for me.

"She only said she wished to speak with the monarchs of Corona." Rapunzel's answer disappoints me; I was expecting something else. "She mentioned she had important information, and that she'd come a long way to try and tell us what she knew. But she never said anything specific."

"Did I ever mentioned a name, or where I came from?" I press.

"You only said you came from far away, but you wouldn't even tell me if it was in the north, south, east or west." The princess explains, making me slump my shoulders in defeat.

"You also told me once you'd like to speak to the Queen of Arendelle, but you preferred to wait until after you spoke to my parents." She added as an afterthought.

"Well… that's interesting." Anna voiced my thoughts. "Maybe that's why you came here? To tell me whatever you wanted to tell to the monarchs of Corona first?" I shrug, honestly having no idea of which had been my thoughts and motivations at the time. However, to the redhead it appears to make a lot of sense.

"Then, when you saw they weren't coming back from their trip anytime soon, maybe you decided to try your luck with me, and… then you lost your memory." She sighs. "Whatever you knew must have been important. I wish there was an easy way to get back your memories."

"You tell _me._ " I chuckle, but even that simple action makes a soaring pain appear on my head, and though I try to cover my wince, Anna notices it.

"You should go rest." She suggests, placing a gentle hand on my back. "Your body still needs to recover."

I want to protest, to spend more time with Anna and her cousin, who appears to be interesting and nice enough. But honestly my body's been aching all day, practically begging me to let it rest. I feel like if I keep exerting myself, I might end up fainting or something, and that would undoubtedly worry the kind redhead, so…

"You're probably right." I admit. "I'll see you tomorrow?" I ask hopeful, looking intently into her eyes, but then remembering there's someone else in the room and turning to look at Rapunzel too.

"Sure. I expect you for breakfast." The Queen smiles.

"Great." I smile at her before getting up with some difficulty. "See you." I say, waving at both royals, noticing how they both have equally warm and wide smiles (they're _definitely_ cousins) as they wave back at me, before getting out of the studio and walking to my room, with Kristoff right behind me.

As I walk down the corridor, I start thinking about what Rapunzel said, but it didn't give me any insight as to my origins. And since my head starts hurting after a few seconds of trying to make sense of it all, I force myself to stop. I just hope this headache will actually let me sleep; I'm exhausted.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi! I'm sorry it took so long, but it's the end of the semester, so I've been pretty busy lately. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it (even if the first part was a bit violent), and if you did please leave a review, I always like to read what you liked and disliked so I can improve in the future. So, thanks to all of you who have taken the time to read this story so far, I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am :)**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7.**

"… and after years of asking, and asking, and asking… I finally said yes." Prince consort Eugene finishes the story of how he met his wife with a smug smile. I can't help bursting out in laughter at this, because I thought he would be saying that _Rapunzel_ had been the one to say yes. But then again, he's probably lying. I mean, the tale he just told me is too fantastic to be true (and no, I'm not talking about Rapunzel's healing powers, that I can easily believe. I'm talking about the bunch of thugs spontaneously making a musical number about their dreams, or the horse that wanted to chased him halfway across the country simply to arrest him). But I have to admit it was entertaining, even if it _did_ take more than an hour to narrate. Not that I had something better to do.

"Eugene." Princess Rapunzel chastises him as she enters the living room. And Anna is with her! I can't help a happy smile appearing on my face as my heart does a little jump in my chest.

"Alright. I asked her." Eugene chuckles as he puts up his hands in surrender, his wife shaking her head in feigned exasperation before going to sit on his lap as she gives him a quick kiss on the lips.

"You always have to end the story like that, don't you?" She glares playfully at him.

"It's more fun." He simply shrugs. "Sounds less like a fairy tale."

"I hope you didn't get bored hearing all of his crazy stories." Anna says as she sits on my side in the sofa, in front of the foreign royals.

The Queen spent most of the day with her cousin, going over some treaties and accords that concern both kingdoms, and probably talking about me and trying to discern what I was doing in Rapunzel's kingdom. So, of course I was not allowed to be with them. Well, that and the fact that yesterday I almost fainted from exhaustion, though thankfully I feel much better now.

Today I woke up late, had some breakfast, and then spent the rest of the day reading in the library, until hunger managed to pry me away from my unfinished books. That's when I had dinner with Gerda before going to the living room, only to find Prince Eugene already there. I tried to excuse myself, but apparently he had also met me in Corona, so he recognized me instantly and made me stay and listen to the story of how he met Rapunzel (apparently he _really_ loves narrating it), which turned out to be a good thing, because it relaxed me and made me laugh quite a lot. As farfetched as some parts were.

"Not really. It was quite interesting." I say politely.

"You mean crazy." Anna smirks, obviously trying to upset Eugene. "I mean, come on! A ninety-foot-tall tower? Yeah, right. Like someone's going to believe _that_."

"Hey! That part was entirely true!" Rapunzel protests.

"And what about the singing thugs? Or the horse?" I ask, curious as to what she'll say.

"Huh. Funny you'd ask that." She muses over my question. "When I told you my story you were more skeptical about the 'magic hair' thing."

"Really?" I raise an eyebrow surprised. After all, having ice magic myself, it isn't hard to believe in other kinds of magic.

"Yep. You thought I was just some crazy woman pretending to be the lost princess of Corona, and using magic that I no longer possessed as proof." She nods with an amused expression, like she finds my previous skepticism funny, even though I'm sure she was probably offended and exasperated when I didn't believe her. I'd apologize, but I get the feeling she'd say there's nothing to apologize for.

"Wait… then that means Elsa's not from Corona!" Anna suddenly shouts, startling us all. Her eyes are wide and she has a big smile, like she just made the most shocking discovery ever, but when we all turn to look at her she smiles sheepishly and clears her throat before explaining herself. "Everyone in your kingdom knows and accepts the story of the lost princess. And they also know they made you demonstrate your powers and go through a series interrogations, not to mention all the witnesses that testified in your favor, before you were allowed to finally see your parents."

"Well, that's true. But there are still a few that doubt my story. More so in the border provinces." Rapunzel clarifies. "Though I doubt anyone from Corona would openly question me and call me crazy." She adds as an afterthought.

"So you're saying… I'm from the Northern Lands." I sigh. I can't say that's not what I expected her to conclude since the very beginning, but a part of me was hoping that they wouldn't point me out as a Northerner so soon. I just hope Anna doesn't decide to exile me in the near future.

"Maybe." She shrugs. "But it's hard to know. You could simply be from another kingdom."

"But it's highly unlikely." I protest, despite my better judgement.

"It's okay, we don't need to rush in the search of your true identity." Anna interferes. "We should do something fun instead! And forget about all of this for now." She exclaims cheerfully, looking at her cousin with mischievous eyes.

"Ooh, I like the sound of that!" Rapunzel perks up. "What do you say, Elsa?"

"Uhm… I'm not sure. My head's hurting a bit." I try to back off, not because I don't want to spend time with them (specially Anna), but because I don't know how to act with the other royals most of the time. I mean, they seem friendly enough, and they weren't raised as royals, but maybe proper behavior is still expected from me when being in their presence.

"I can cure you, if you want." The brunette offers kindly.

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to impose." I answer shyly, feeling weird that the Crown Princess of Corona, no less, just offered to cure my headache. However, I guess I _could_ use a bit of magical healing. My head's been hurting for far too long.

"Nonsense! I like helping people." Rapunzel replies, smiling widely as she gets up and goes to sit beside me, a little too close to my comfort. I gulp and look nervously at Anna, who only gives me a reassuring smile that fails to calm my nerves.

I think I'm just not good at being close to humans. Except Anna. And Gerda. I guess I'm somewhat comfortable with those two.

But before I can protest or move a bit farther away from the princess, she starts to sing a beautiful song. It's very tender, and sweet, but there's also something powerful on it. Maybe it's because I possess magic of my own, but I can somehow _feel_ the power growing inside Rapunzel as she sings about curing sickness and bring back what's no more. It's quite impressive actually, even if her hair no longer shines when she sings.

And then a single tear falls from her eyes, landing on my arm. I look at it for a moment, before it's absorbed into my skin, the spot glowing with a golden light. Then, for a few seconds nothing happens, but soon enough there's an even brighter light than before, apparently coming out of my head. It must be quite comical, since both Eugene and Anna burst into laughter.

Then it stops, and the moment it does, all hell breaks lose in my head.

It's like suddenly someone decided to insert my head into a cauldron of boiling water. Everything hurts. It's too hot in here. It's too bright. There's too much noise. I can barely breathe, much less think, or do anything except clutching my head and hoping it'll stop.

I'm barely aware of the fact that the three royals came to see what's happening but found themselves unable to do anything except stay there, panicking and wondering if they should call a doctor.

It's too much agony. I want to die. Death would be blessing at this point.

And then, as suddenly as it started, the pain recedes.

I breathe in deeply, realizing my throat is now sore, probably because I was screaming. My muscles slowly relax too, and my head stops hurting as much as before, but there's still a faint throbbing, only a little bit less intense than the one I'm used to. So the magical tear didn't serve much after all.

"Elsa? Are you okay?!" Anna's panicked voice startles me, and I look up to meet her concerned eyes as she gently places her hands on my head and starts caressing it in such a way I can't help blushing… and wishing she won't stop.

"I-I… I'm fine now." I say, though I notice all my body is trembling, probably a side effect of the pain I was subjected to.

"What happened?" She turns to question her cousin, who looks terribly confused and ashamed.

"I don't know!" She answers, equally panicked. "It's never happened before."

"Did it at least cure your headache?" The redhead now asks me.

"… No." I admit defeated.

"What? But… that's impossible!" Rapunzel exclaims. "I've cured headaches before, and there have never been side effects."

I'm going to protest, tell her that calling 'a side effect' a massive pain in my head that made me wish I was dead, would be underestimating it, when Eugene speaks up.

"But maybe your power can only cure _physical_ injuries." He says, and the three of us look at him (Anna letting go of my head, unfortunately), silently urging him to explain himself. "I mean, I know most injuries are physical, but some others aren't, like depression, or a heartbreak… or magical injuries."

"Magical?" I repeat, trying to understand what he's saying.

"Yes, magical." He nods. "I know magic can produce physical injuries, but it can also alter other things… Manipulate people's minds." He looks pointedly at me, and Anna is the first one to understand what he means.

"Alter their memories." She finishes, the realization slowly sinking in all of us.

"But… magic isn't all that common." I protest, not wanting to believe that my headache and memory lost weren't caused by natural circumstances, like traumatism. "I mean, the only kinds I know are ice-magic and healing-magic."

"Yes, but there are still witches and wizards living between us." Anna says. "People sometimes still go to them searching for a spell, or a potion. I know most of them are cheaters and liars, but who knows?" She shrugs, making a very good point.

"Plus, even if the only magic that exists is that of Rapunzel and the ice-wielders, which is highly unlikely…" Eugene continues. "There's still a possibility that Northerners have hidden abilities still unknown, like wiping memories."

Well, he has a point. I mean, after all Rapunzel didn't know she had magic tears until she cured Eugene, so it's not so farfetched to think that ice-wielders could maybe have more powers aside from manipulating ice and snow, or that more magical creatures exist.

"But if that's true, if my memories were wiped out by a spell… then what I felt was the clash of two magical energies!" I say, finally understanding. "Rapunzel's and the one of whoever cursed me."

"Probably." Anna nods and then casts me a sympathetic expression. "It must have hurt quite a lot."

"It did." I grimace, remembering the pain in felt just minutes ago.

"I'm sorry." Rapunzel says with an apologetic tone of voice. "If only I had known."

"It's okay. None of us knew what would happen." I reassure her, not wanting her to feel bad over something she had no control over.

"So…" Anna says, trying to distract her cousin, who is still obviously feeling guilty about what happened. "About doing something fun…"

"I can think of a few fun things to do." Eugene intervenes, casting his wife a suggestive glance that I try to ignore. My face still heats up though, since I know what he meant.

"Eugene!" Rapunzel screams, flustered and embarrassed at his proposal. "I think Anna meant that we should all do something fun. Like, the _four_ of us."

"They can join us. I don't mind." He smirks, but it's obvious he's joking (at least I hope so). Still, a glare from his wife makes him put up his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. Why don't you suggest something?"

"Well…" She starts, before turning to look at me. "I was thinking… now that I've shown you my powers, why don't you show me yours?"

"W-what?" I stutter nervously, not expecting such a request. "You want me to show you my powers?" I cast an unsure glance at Anna. "Wouldn't that be… dangerous?"

"Only if you suddenly decide to attack us. But I doubt you'd do that." Anna says, apparently agreeing with Rapunzel.

"But… people will panic!" I argue. "They'll think I'm trying to kill you or something."

"We could lock ourselves up in the ball room, and order the guards to keep everyone out." The redhead suggests, her face now beaming with excitement, making it hard for me to refuse. I wouldn't want to make her sad.

"Are you sure?" I ask once more, trying to make her reflect on what she's actually requesting me.

"Only if you're feeling well enough." She says after a pause, clearly worried that she's asking something I can't do right now, due to what happened with Rapunzel's tear.

"I am." I admit reluctantly. It's not like I don't want to show them my magic, after all. It's just that… I fear Anna would treat me differently after seeing what I can do. Like a Northerner, someone dangerous she should be afraid off.

However, I shake those thoughts off as both girls lead me enthusiastically to the ballroom, hoping I made the right decision by agreeing with them… and that my powers are a little more stable than before. After all, they did get a little out of control after the assassination attempt the other day. Well, I guess I'll have to do my best to control them.

* * *

And so, the four of us went to the ballroom, and Anna ordered all the guards to stay outside and keep anyone else from entering. Except Kristoff. He insisted on coming along because, apparently, he still doesn't trust me completely.

Fortunately, the ballroom is wide enough and there aren't many things that could get damaged with my ice, so I won't have to worry about that. Only about the other people in the room. So I ask them to stay near the entrance and get out immediately if anything goes wrong (just a precaution), before going to stand at the center of the room and looking at them, unsure of what they want me to do.

"So… what do you want me to show you?" I ask awkwardly.

"Perhaps a bit of snow?" Anna suggests.

"What's the least you can do?" Rapunzel asks instead.

"The least?" I repeat before getting out a small portion of my powers and lowering the temperature just a couple of degrees… or at least I thought it was only a couple. Apparently not though.

"T-that's the _least_?" Eugene asks in disbelief as he hugs himself.

"And the most?" Anna questions, apparently having no common sense whatsoever.

"I really don't think you want me to show you that." I reply, knowing full well I could freeze the entire castle… maybe even the entire _town_ , if I were to release all my magic.

"Why? Do you think you could freeze the entire kingdom?" Kristoff asks, and though it's a legitimate question, he said it with a somewhat accusatory tone of voice, like he was accusing me of being the Ice Queen (which I'm _not_ , I think), and so I decide to scare him a little to shut him up.

"No. I think you would shit your pants." I reply, before shooting blast of magic towards his feet, where the magic transforms into an explosion of snow that covers him in white powder. Kristoff, as predicted, jumps away startled and comically falls on his butt. I can't help laughing discreetly behind my hand, though the others aren't as discreet as I am.

"Hey!" He glares at me.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist it." I say, not feeling even a little apologetic. At this, Anna laughs even louder, further annoying her friend.

"Oh, come on Kristoff, it _was_ funny." Anna says, still giggling a bit.

"Right." He rolls his eyes as he gets up and shakes the snow off his clothes.

"Now… what else can you do?" The queen addresses me once the royals from Corona stop laughing.

"Whatever you ask me to do with ice and snow." I answer, appearing more confident than I really feel. It's not like I don't trust in my power though; I'm just afraid I can't control it well enough.

"Can you make it snow in here?" Just as she finishes her sentence, I raise my hand and let out a blast of magic, which explodes into millions of snowflakes before touching the ceiling, making a little snowfall inside the room and effectively answering her question.

"Wow!" Anna exclaims mesmerized as she reaches out to catch a snowflake with her hand (which makes her look impossibly cute), and I smile proudly as I see the other three people in the room also look around in wonder.

"Amazing!" Rapunzel says as she notices the fine layer of snow has now been settled on the floor.

"If you want, I can make more." I say, way more confident than before, now that I see they are not afraid of my magic, _and_ my powers are obeying me quite well.

"Yes, please! I'd like to make snow angels!" Anna perks in, making Eugene chuckle at her enthusiasm and her childish request. I, however, don't mind as I press my left foot into the ground, letting a wave of power be released from the spot, thickening the existent layer of snow and creating a few mounds of the cold powder in the periphery of the ballroom.

Eugene whistles at the sight.

"I have to admit it's very impressive." He says.

"Please don't freak out." Rapunzel says, and he chuckles at her request.

"Oh, come on, this is a lot less bizarre than magical glowing hair with healing powers." He answers, which earns him a punch on his shoulder.

"Well? What are we waiting for?" Anna says before jumping into one of the piles of snow, only to emerge a second later screaming and laughing happily as she takes some snow in her hands and throws it above her, watching it fall.

The other royals exchange a look before shrugging, taking some snow and starting to make snowballs, probably to throw them to each other. Kristoff, however, just stands still, next to the door, obviously still angry and embarrassed about what I did to him earlier.

I guess I'll have to apologize later. For now though, I think I will join Anna and maybe make some snow angels.

"Hey Elsa, look at this!" She says when I get close, and starts moving her arms and legs as she lays on the snow, effectively creating a snow angel. Then she stands up, smiling happily, and looks at her creation with pride. "Isn't it beautiful? Your snow is perfect for creating snow angels." She compliments.

"I'm glad you like it." I smile at her. "It's good to know my powers finally serve some purpose."

"Aside from helping you out of a life or death situation two times?" She asks jokingly, though what she says is very true.

"Yeah, aside from that." I say, trying not to remember the assassination attempts I just recently suffered, but failing. It was quite terrifying, especially the last time, since I was chained and shackled. Just remembering the men's angry faces looking down at me with contempt and anger makes my stomach turn.

"Elsa?" Anna asks concerned, obviously noticing my thoughts are wandering into dangerous territory.

"I'm sorry." I say.

"No need to apologize. It's too soon to start joking about such a thing. My fault." She says, giving me an apologetic smile. "But forget about it, why don't you make a snow angel now?"

"Okay." I agree, and I'm going to let myself fall on the snow, when I decide to play a little with my powers first.

I hold up my hand and watch it intently, as I concentrate to let out my power slowly, concentering it in my palm and creating a very recognizable figure; a human with wings. An angel. Not a very detailed one, but still.

"Like this?" I ask, showing it to Anna, whose eyes widen in wonder and surprise.

"Whoa!" She exclaims as she reaches out to touch it, but stops an inch away from it. "It's so perfect!" She giggles. "Though not exactly what I meant."

"I know." I chuckle before letting it fall and merge with the rest of the snow. Then, I turn around and let myself fall too, my landing being cushioned by the white powder. It's quite comfy actually, and not at all hot and uncomfortable as a regular bed, for example. I think I could sleep in it if I wanted… But not right now. Right now I'm playing in the snow with the adorably gorgeous queen of Arendelle (I mean, _Anna_ ), and so I move my arms and legs, easily creating a snow angel. However, before I can get up and appreciate my work of art, a snowball lands on my face.

I yelp and blink a few times, before wiping off the snow and searching for who attacked me. And I find no other than Princess Rapunzel of Corona looking guiltily at me.

"You started a snowball fight with my special guest who also happens to be an ice-wielder?" Anna tsks. "Too bad." And like that, she picks up a bit of snow, shapes it into a ball and then throws it at her cousin, who screams and tries to get out of the way, but instead gets hit on the shoulder.

As I get up from the snow, however, I see as Eugene comes to her rescue, throwing a snowball at Anna and hitting her on the arm she used to protect her head. And soon, the couple is burying the redhead into a pile of snow as I stand there, unsure if I should join or not. I mean, don't get me wrong, it looks like a lot of fun, and it'd probably help me practice controlling my powers, but I don't think it'd be proper to just throw snowballs at two royals from a neighboring kingdom, even if it's a game.

But Anna doesn't seem to notice my dilemma, because she's soon asking me to help her as she tries to defend herself from the attacks.

"Elsa! Don't just stand there! Give me hand, will you?"

Well, now that was direct order from the queen. I can't disobey, can I? Not that I want to.

And so I promptly create a huge pile of snowballs in front of me and start throwing them to the foreign royals, first hitting Rapunzel, who yelps and tries to back off, only to fall down in the snow, and then hitting her husband, who stops attacking Anna and instead tries to cover himself with his arms. When that doesn't work, because now both Anna and I are attacking them, he runs away to try and hide behind one of the piles of snow, and I resort to just make a giant snowball appear over my head and throw it at him before he can hide, effectively burying him under snow for a while.

Dusting off my hands with a satisfied smile, I then turn to look at Anna, who was trying to make a snowball when she got hit by one of Rapunzel's projectiles. The redhead lets out an indignant huff and goes to try and tackle her, but the princess evades her easily, which makes Anna fall on the snow before being mercilessly attacked by her cousin.

Deciding I can't let Rapunzel get away with that, I make another snowball and throw it at her, effectively hitting her back, and once she turns to see who did it, I quickly materialize another snowball and hit her in the face, making her fall. I can't help giggling at her bewildered expression.

"Thanks, Elsa!" Anna says once she gets up and bounces all the way to me. "It's good to have an ice-wielder on my side." She grins widely and I do so too, a part of me thinking that maybe, just maybe, she's not saying that just as part of our little game. Maybe she will eventually think about letting me stay with her for good. Maybe she'll make me an ambassador to the Northern Lands? Or perhaps some kind of bodyguard.

But I'm probably getting ahead of myself.

"That was cheating!" Eugene protests as he gets up and tries to shake the snow off his clothes. Unsuccessfully.

"Yeah, it's not fair to use magic." Rapunzel joins him, shaking her head to get rid of the snow on her hair.

"You're just sore losers." Anna says, rolling her eyes.

"We could… play some more, if you want." I say, realizing it may have been mean to use my magic in such a way, despite what Anna thinks. "No powers this time." I assure them.

"And stay in this freezing chamber even longer?" Rapunzel asks in disbelief. "No, thank you." At this, her husband nods, completely agreeing with her.

I try to see if I feel cold, but to my surprise, I'm completely comfortable. Which, now that I think about it, is quite logical. Must be a side effect of my ice powers. However… Anna doesn't seem to be uncomfortable either, and she isn't an ice wielder, nor is she wearing heavy clothes, like the princess and her husband.

"Uhm… Anna? Aren't you cold?" I ask, eying at her sleeveless dress.

"A little." She shrugs it off as she starts walking towards the entrance, the rest of us following her. "The cold doesn't really bother me as it does other people."

"Really?" My eyes widen at her answer, wondering how that's possible… and then I notice the strand of white hair she has on her head.

"Yes, it has something to do with that." She says, touching her stripe.

As we all step outside, I make the snow disappear with a single wave of my hand (though I have to admit it's quite more difficult than to produce it), and then Kristoff closes the door as we keep walking to… wherever Anna wants to go.

"At least I think so." Anna continues her explanation. "My parents never really explained me how I got it, or why I had a higher tolerance to cold."

"You should be thankful of it though." Kristoff speaks for the first time since I scared him with my powers, and we all turn to look at him. "If you weren't immune to cold, you would be dead."

"What do you mean?" I ask, confused, when I notice everyone else already seems to know what he's talking about. Anna bits her lip and seems to be considering what to respond, when the blond man speaks for her.

"I wasn't there when it happened, but the captain of the guard told me that one night, many years ago, an ice-wielder sneaked into the palace." His eyes harden in an accusatory way, and I flinch involuntarily, feeling bad even if I know it wasn't me. But still, it was someone like me. Someone who probably did something that made the normal people hate us even more.

"He, or she, I don't really know, wanted to kill the royal family." He continues. "But was discovered and captured after they heard the princess scream."

I look at Anna worriedly, wondering if she's relieving this horrid event, but she seems to just be listening to it like it was something that happened to someone else, not her. Which is weird. Maybe she was just too young to remember it?

"W-what happened to the attacker?" I ask, fearing the answer.

"Some say the king executed them on the spot." Kristoff shrugs, and I feel a chill run down my spine as I imagine such a thing. "Others say they were exiled, but no one knows for sure. The monarchs refused to talk about it, even with Anna." I turn to look at her and she nods in confirmation.

"It must have been horrible." I look at her with a sympathetic look.

"I don't really know." She says, sighing. "I don't remember a thing of that night, or anything _before_ that night, for that matter."

"The doctors said it was a coping mechanism." Rapunzel explains, and I nod thoughtfully.

"And no one knows what the ice-wielder did to you?" I ask.

"No." Anna shakes her head, clearly upset about the fact.

"But they say she was unconscious for _days_." Kristoff speaks up again. "The doctors actually thought she wouldn't wake up." He looks very sad just thinking about the possibility. I guess he does care a lot about Anna. I bet they're really close… maybe even closer than they should be?

For some reason, the thought makes my insides burn with anger, but I force myself to focus on what he's saying.

"However, they all agreed that, if she was saved, it was solely due to her natural resistance to cold." He concludes.

"That's… fortunate." I say, not really knowing how to respond to that.

"It is." She agrees, her gaze lost like she's deep in thought. "I just wish my parents had told me the truth before dying." She sighs, and then we fall in uncomfortable silence, the sober topic having ruined our playful mood from before. Also, it made me think… how _did_ she gain her immunity to cold? Perhaps she was to be born an ice-wielder but her parents prevented it somehow? Could that even be possible? Or is it something more? Something like… destiny, as silly as it sounds. The Queen of Arendelle herself being resistant to the powers of the Ice Queen of the Northern Lands. To the powers of the enemy. Seems almost too convenient, doesn't it? Too convenient to be just a coincidence.

Suddenly, however, Rapunzel's cheerful voice breaks the silence, and interrupts my speculation.

"Hey! How about we drink a mug of hot chocolate? It'll help us warm up." She thankfully doesn't mention the fact that two of us don't really need to warm up.

"Sounds good." Anna agrees, as well as Eugene and I, while Kristoff joins us with a shy nod.

And in no time, we're hurrying up to the dining room, having momentarily forgotten about Anna's immunity to cold and the incident that happened years ago. Though I'm sure that's all I will be able to think about tonight when I'm trying to sleep.

* * *

 **A/N: So… I know I took more than a month to finish this, and I'm sorry for that. In my defense, however, I have to say that I had writer's block, and I didn't want to write something crappy because of it, just to get a chapter ready soon. Plus, this is a long chapter, so… forgive me?**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading and, as always, please leave a review, fav, or follow, if you haven't. Thanks for reading, and thanks for taking the time to let me know your opinions and thoughts about the story. See you soon :)**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8.**

"Elsa, wake up. Come on, you're almost late." I hear Gerda's voice, obviously trying to wake me up and force me to start the day. But I feel like I barely slept a few hours, and that's despite remembering having gone to bed early yesterday.

Not wanting to obey her, I blink a few times to try and see, by the position of the sun outside the window, how early it is. Strangely enough, it's dark outside, and the stars are still very visible, which means dawn is still a few hours away, so… what's happening here? Did Gerda get confused?

"Late?" I ask with a sleepy voice, closing my eyes once more and trying to ignore the candlelight in my room.

"Yes. Queen Anna has requested you accompany her to a festival in Hellesen, a little village nearby." The maid explains, and I would have groaned in frustration if she hadn't mentioned Anna's name. As spontaneous as her request is, I have to admit I don't mind at all if it means I get to spend some time with her.

"Is the festival at five in the morning, or something?" I ask, sitting up and rubbing my eyes to try and get rid of the lingering effects of sleep.

"No, but the village is at six hours from here. By horse." Gerda explains while she goes to the closet to, presumably, pick up a dress for me. "She didn't really want to go, saying she had too many duties, but apparently Princess Rapunzel was able to convince her. She said it was good for her to interact more with her subjects, or something like that."

"But… is it a good idea to bring me along?" I ask, now awake enough to process the information and make sense of it. "I mean, everyone seems to hate ice-wielders, so… couldn't they try to…?"

"The queen has taken care of it." Gerda cuts me off before I can finish my question, giving me an expensive-looking dark blue dress (fit for a princess), a blue jacket that apparently goes along with it, a pair of white silk gloves, and a brown wig. "You'll pretend to be some Coronan noble. The wig will help conceal your true nature." She explains.

"Okay." I nod, understanding Anna's plan, though I'm still not sure this is a great idea, not after almost getting killed two times by Arendellians just because of who I am. But I guess her plan could work, and I'm getting tired of being locked in the castle all the time. Plus, it's the Queen's order, so…

Gerda leaves to get my usual tea while I dress, comb my hair into a bun and put on the wig. Then she returns, makes me drink the tea _and_ have some bread (because apparently she doesn't want me to get hungry on the way to Hellesen), and soon enough she's ushering me towards the entrance hall, where I'm to meet with the royals.

When we arrive Rapunzel and Eugene are already there, well dressed and fully awake, chatting animatedly with each other. They must be morning people… unlike Anna, who has her back pressed against the wall and is fighting hard not to close her eyes and fall to the ground in an exhausted heap. She really is trying to stay awake, but if her constant yawns are any indication, she isn't doing a very good job.

Suddenly she closes her eyes for like five seconds, and it really looks she's about to fall over. I rush to grab her, but just when her body is bending in a position that defies gravity, she stumbles a little, opens her eyes and looks around, disoriented and startled.

"Oh, Elsa. You're here." Rapunzel says with a smile, obviously having noticed me when I ran to catch the falling queen.

"… Elsa?" Anna asks with a sleepy voice as she rubs her eyes with the back of her hand. "You're coming too?"

"Well… you asked me to." I answer, suddenly worried this is actually a mistake. Maybe Anna doesn't want me to come?

"Oh. That's right." She nods, apparently remembering. "It just didn't feel well to have you locked in here all the time. I know I'd go nuts."

"And yet it took a lot of coercing to convince you." Eugene complains, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It's literally _five_ in the morning! I'd never agree to something like this without hesitating." Anna retorts, pouting like some angry puppy. Gosh, does she have to be so adorable all the time?

"Come on, stop complaining." Rapunzel rolls her eyes. "Let's get going. We don't want to arrive late."

Soon enough, we're out at the stables, where four guards, including Kristoff ( _of course_ he'd go with us), are waiting for us. Three of them have horses, but my personal protector is next to a… reindeer? Seriously? He didn't want a horse like the others?

Well, I mean, I guess it explains his usually awful smell.

"You're finally here." He says crossing his arms over his chest in an almost scolding manner. "You said we'd leave at five, and it's almost six."

"Oh, stop it, _Christopher_." Rapunzel says, walking past him and towards the carriage that awaits us. "You know Anna would never wake up so early."

"Plus, a Queen never arrives late." Anna adds with a fake indignant huff before following her cousin into the carriage.

"Sorry, Kristoff. You know how they are." Eugene excuses them. "After you." He then says and gestures me to get in, at which I give a curt nod and go sit beside Anna and in front of Rapunzel.

"Wake me up when we get there." Anna says with a sleepy voice before placing her head on my shoulder and closing her eyes. This simple action sends my head spiraling while my heartrate accelerates and my stomach tightens. I'll never understand how she manages to make me so anxious every time I'm near her. Maybe it's because she's the queen… or maybe I'm just not good with this whole human contact thing. Either way, I hope I could get used to it. Fast. Because Anna's certainly not trying to avoid physical contact with me.

"Be careful." Eugene tells me, stepping into the carriage. "She drools."

"I know." I chuckle, but then pause, frowning. "How do you even know that?"

"Let's just said one day Anna insisted on having a sleepover with me." Rapunzel answers for him. "The next morning I was entirely covered in drool." She laughs, and I have to contain myself from doing the same, eying Anna nervously to see if she's upset by the commentary. Surprisingly enough, she's already asleep.

"Well, looks like she's dead to the world." Eugene says amused, obviously noticing Anna's current state too. "Do you want us to share some of her embarrassing stories with you before she wakes up?"

"Uhm… I don't think Anna would appreciate that." I answer, not wanting to invade her privacy, even if hearing about the queen's most embarrassing moments does seems like a good way to kill some time until we arrive to the carnival.

"If you don't say anything she won't find out." Rapunzel winks in a mischievous way.

"Well…" I bite my lip, unsure, then look down at the sleeping royal and wonder if she'd get mad at her cousin for telling me. I mean, after all Anna tends to take everything lightly, and is still childish enough not to get mad over minor things… but still. She's the queen and I think she deserves some respect.

"Come on, Elsa. It's not like Anna's clumsiness and talent to get in trouble were secret anyways." Eugene insists, and with a sigh I decide to relent. I don't want to be rude to them after all.

"Okay… I guess I _would_ like to hear some stories about Anna."

* * *

"… and then she slipped on the mud and ended up tackling a general." Rapunzel laughs as she tells me yet another amusing story. At first I tried to stifle my laughter with my hand, both to be proper and to not wake Anna up, but… I gave up on that pretty soon. "She was so embarrassed she got up and backed up, making an excuse, but she didn't realize there was a dog behind her and she stepped on his tail, waking him up. Of course, he was a feral dog, and ended up chasing Anna through half of the town." She continues. "Once he was about to catch up with her though, she accidentally ran into a man carrying a box of tomatoes, and both her and the dog ended up covered in the red fruits."

"And he didn't bite her?" I ask, trying to restrain my laughter.

"Nah, when he tried that, she hit him with a lute." Eugene answers, as amused by this story as his wife.

"How did she even…?"

"Don't ask." Rapunzel warns me. "That's another entirely different story."

"Okay?" I raise an eyebrow, and am about to ask her to tell me about it nonetheless when Anna suddenly stirs in her sleep, giving us all pause. We don't want her to wake up yet after all; we're having so much fun at her expense.

Eugene and Rapunzel have been telling me story after story ever since the carriage started moving; some of them having been witnessed by them and other having just been told to them by Anna or someone else. It's been a few hours now, and in all that time I haven't just learned that Anna is a reckless and clumsy goofball, but also that, apparently, her parents were very affectionate with her. But also maybe a little overprotective.

For example, one day she snuck out of the castle to go explore the forest, and when her parents had found out she'd gone without guards or even Kristoff to protect her, they'd practically sent all the guards in town to try and find her. Of course, that led to Anna scaring a family of squirrels half-to-death, initiating a stampede of angry reindeer, and falling from a small hill, ending up with multiple bruises and cuts, all in an attempt to avoid the guards. And yes, the redhead should have been more careful and at least take Kristoff with her, but she hadn't even been gone for an hour and everyone was already searching for her. Maybe if the monarchs had given her more freedom (let her out of the palace more often, for example), that wouldn't have happened. But I think I can understand their concern; she was the heir to the throne after all, and someone had tried to kill her when she was just a little kid, so… yeah, not so surprising.

And maybe that's why I don't want her to wake up just yet. I like to hear those little stories, not only because of how funny they are, or how they let me connect in some way with the two foreign royals, but because thanks to them, I now feel like I know more of Anna, even if it's just a little bit.

However, even though we keep quiet and try to hold our breath for a few seconds, Anna still sits up and rubs her eyes, before trying to open them and adjust to the light (yes, it's sunny outside now).

"Uhg… are we there already?" She asks with a sleepy voice.

"Not yet." Eugene answers. "I think we're still a few hours from there, actually."

"Damn." She curses. "I was hoping I could sleep all the way." At this, she yawns before eying the closed curtains of the carriage (I insisted on closing them so Anna could sleep more comfortably) and reaching out to open them. "Where are we anyways?"

As she opens the curtain, the beautiful scenery is revealed, and it's so beautiful that, in fact, I almost regret not having opened it sooner. We are on a road traveling near the edge of a cliff, and at the bottom of the cliff lies a vast forest. Farther away a few hills sprout here and there, before giving way to a snowy plain and… wait, what's that thing that extends as far as the eye can see? It almost looks like… a wall? But, despite being pretty black, like it's made of dark stones, it's shining in the sunlight. Almost as if it's made of _ice_. Or at least encased in it. More so, behind it all that can be seen is an endless barren land of ice and snow. And fog, very dense fog. Beyond it, the only distinguishable things are tall mountains and large gray clouds, like the land has its own personal winter storm. In summer.

I don't know why, but my body instantly tenses up; my stomach twists into knots, my heart rate accelerates to impossible levels and I start to hyperventilate. I also feel scared and angry. I somehow know this isn't how it should be; all that ice is unnatural. It's monstrous. It doesn't belong there.

"The Northern Lands." I breathe out. Even though I don't remember ever having seen them before, I just _know_ without doubt that's where they are.

"Yeah, actually." Anna nods, looking at me with curiosity. "Do you remember them or something?"

"I figured it out thanks to all the ice." I shrug, trying to appear nonchalant, but truth to be told, even if it wasn't a real memory, I did feel something while seeing them. Something powerful. Something I'm sure I wouldn't feel if I'd never been there before.

"Really?" She raises an eyebrow like she doesn't believe me, and truth to be told, I wouldn't either, but thankfully Rapunzel interferes before she can ask more questions.

"Where's the famous Ice Queen's palace?" She asks, trying to find it with her gaze.

"There, on top of the North Mountain." Anna answers, pointing to the tallest mountain in sight and, just as expected, almost on top of it is an icy structure; shining and majestic. In the light of day, it looks almost like a blue sun. It must be pretty large and tall, if we can see it from here, but… this time I don't feel the nasty sensations from before. No, I feel something different, like… longing?

Suddenly, I see a giant snowflake under my feet. I feel a pleasant chill invade my legs and hands as I move around it, releasing my magic. I see as tall columns rise out of nowhere, and flurries fly around me, creating intricate patterns and structures. I see a chandelier and a balcony on a great circular chamber. I suddenly feel happy. I feel powerful. I'm on top of the world. I'm free.

I gasp, clutching my head as my headache intensifies.

That was a memory. I'm sure it was a memory! But… if I built the ice palace, does that make me the Ice Queen? I'd certainly be inclined to think so. But if I'm the evil Ice Queen that froze the Northern Lands, how did I get here? Why did I lose my memory? And, most importantly, why are the Norther Lands still frozen if I'm not there? If I was creating that storm, I would be able to feel it, right? And I wouldn't be scared of it.

Maybe I'm not the Ice Queen after all... Or maybe I am and the other northerners are just keeping it snowy over there in my absence.

That last thought gives me chills. I don't want to be some evil and ruthless magical queen.

"Elsa?" I hear Anna's voice, and just now feel her hand clutching firmly my shoulder. I look up and see her watching at me with worry, probably because of how I'm clutching my head. "Did you have a headache again?"

"Y-yeah." I answer hesitantly, slowly letting my hands fall to my lap. "It's nothing though. I'm fine." I fake out a smile, but she doesn't seem to believe it. Probably because I'm still thinking about the possibility of me being the Ice Queen.

"Did you remember something watching the ice palace?" This time Eugene is the one who asks, and I have to look down at the ground when I answer. I've never been good at lying.

"No." I say, but I can almost feel as all their eyes narrow with suspicion. I can't blame them though; I did sound a little too unsure of my own answer. "Okay, I did." I admit with a sigh, still looking at the carriage's floor. "I remembered being inside the palace." Now, this one's not a lie, but it's not the complete truth either; I don't want them jumping into crazy conclusions just yet.

"Really?" Anna's eyebrows shoot up to her hairline. "Then that means you _are_ a Northerner!" Surprisingly enough, she doesn't sound at all angry or scared. And only a little bit surprised, but I guess that was to be expected.

"Well, it was pretty obvious from the beginning, wasn't it?" I say, trying not to make such a big deal out of it. I really don't want her to decide I'm suddenly the enemy and need to be executed or thrown into a dungeon.

"Not really. You weren't on the list." She reminds me, and I grimace at this. Of course, just another reminder that I'm probably the Ice Queen; the only description that matched with me was that of someone 'extremely dangerous'.

"You mean the list your parents kept of all the people exiled there?" Rapunzel asks raising an eyebrow. "Because it only contained the names of the _exiles_. And I bet many Northerners have been born there."

At her words, I mentally face palm myself. Anna actually goes and does it though. I mean, how didn't we think of that? Heck, in the list many families were exiled; parents who would no doubt want to have more children than those they already had. More so, many Northerners that were exiled as kids must now be of age, so… of course the list isn't complete!

"You were born there!" She exclaims, apparently finally making sense of it all. "That's why no description matched with your name."

"Y-yeah… that's probably it." I agree trying to sound more confident than I feel, because after all, I still have my doubts.

"But if you weren't exiled… that means the rule doesn't apply to you." She reasons.

"The rule about killing the Northerners that dare return to Arendelle?" I ask hopeful.

"Yes." She nods happily. "You can't exactly _return_ to Arendelle if you've never been here before."

"Your father didn't make it so all Northerners that dared escape to the south were to be killed?" Eugene asks, obviously finding it hard to believe such a loophole exists.

"Nope." Anna smiles happily. "I've been studying the laws a lot lately, and I'm pretty sure my father's decree is just an addition to the traditional exile rule."

"Okay?" I say, raising an eyebrow. "I guess I'm good now then?"

"Unless you suddenly remember having been exiled." Anna shrugs. "But I seriously doubt that's the case."

"That's… great." I smile, but I don't really feel relieved, not even when Anna smiles back at me. I'm still worried I wasn't born in the Northern Lands at all, even if I know that's the most likely possibility. But maybe I just worry too much. I should be happy, right? Unless a memory about getting exiled pops into of my head _and_ I tell Anna about it, I have nothing to fear. I was born in the Northern Lands. I'm a Northerner, but I'm not an exile. I'm not the Ice Queen.

However, even after Anna changes the subject and starts laughing with her cousin, I still get a nasty feeling in my gut, and I know I'll be thinking about this all day. I won't be able to enjoy the festival.

* * *

We arrive a few hours later, and the moment the carriage stops Anna practically jumps out of it, not waiting for the guards to help her, and instead starts greeting pretty much everyone in sight before going to see the nearest stalls and what they're selling. Rapunzel is not so far behind her, and it looks like everyone is pretty fond of both their queen and the foreign princess, so they don't have anything to worry about. I still think they should be more cautious though.

"I've told Rapunzel she shouldn't do that in a foreign kingdom." Eugene says, as if reading my mind. "She's never listened though."

"I imagine." I chuckle, shaking my head.

"We better go make sure they stay out of trouble." He suggests, gesturing to the door, and I nod in understanding before stepping out.

I have to admit, seeing all these people here makes me a little nervous. Maybe _a lot_ nervous, actually. Knowing the only reason they don't react to my presence is a wig that makes me look 'normal' is not only infuriating, but also frightening. If this thing falls accidentally… No, I shouldn't think about that. My magic has been unstable enough as of late, and though the gloves help, I really don't want to cause an accident here. And my magic seems to be linked directly to my emotions, which means I have to remain calm.

"Elsa, come on, look!" Anna pulls me out of my thoughts, grabbing my hand and dragging me towards a nearby stand. Thankfully, the guards are now right behind us, and I feel more protected. "Look at all those flowers, aren't they beautiful?" She exclaims, proceeding to bend over and look closely at all the beautiful bouquets here. There's a vast variety of flowers, from roses and lilies to sunflowers and even the famous golden crocus, symbol of the kingdom of Arendelle.

I can't help delicately taking one of them, a pink small flower and bringing it up to smell it. And how wonderful it smells! I even have to close my eyes to enjoy it better. I don't think I've ever smell a flower like this. Or even been in proximity to so many flowers! It's very relaxing. It's amazing.

"Do you like it?" I'm startled by a man's voice, and when I look up, I see it's the owner of the stall who spoke, a man in his mid-forties with blond hair and a large mustache.

"Y-yeah." I say shyly before placing the flower back where it belonged. "You have a very beautiful collection of flowers here." I compliment him politely, trying to appear friendly. "Where are they from?"

"Most are from southern countries, like Corona, Weselton and the Southern Iles." He explains. "Others, like the golden crocus, are from Arendelle."

"How do you keep them so well preserved during the whole trip?" I ask curious. I'm no expert, but I'm sure it'd take at least one week to get from Weselton to Arendelle, and that'd be without stopping to sleep or even eat.

"I just have to keep the hydrated and somewhat cold. And change their water almost daily." He says with a smile. "It's not that difficult really."

"Interesting." I say, mesmerized by the colorful bouquets. "And the one I picked… where is it from?"

"It's from the Southern Iles. It's called autumn crocus."

"Autumn crocus." I repeat eyeing at it. "It's very beautiful."

"You want it?" I turn to look at Anna when she speaks, just now remembering she was with me, looking at the flowers with awe all this time.

"Oh, I-I wouldn't want to… I mean, I don't think it'd be proper to…" I stutter, suddenly feeling very nervous by her offer, but she's already made the decision, and nothing that I say will change her mind.

"Nonsense!" She exclaims with a huge grin. "I can see you want it, and I will buy it to you." She says before turning to the vendor and asking how much it costs.

"That'd be two pennies, your high… I mean… your _majesty_." He corrects himself, but I do catch up on his slip up. Anna doesn't seem to mind, but… I really think her subjects doesn't see her as the queen yet. I could be wrong, but I get the impression they still look at her as the naive and clumsy princess, who's endearing but too silly to be in charge of a kingdom. For Anna's sake, I hope I'm wrong.

"Here." Anna says, pulling me out of my thoughts, as she takes the flower and delicately puts it behind my ear, slightly touching my cheek in the process, and making goosebumps appear all over my skin. It's not only because of how happy she looks when she compliments me either, or the way her touch lingers for a few more seconds than would seem appropriate; it's the way her eyes look at me, so affectionately my heart feels like it wants to jump out of my chest. I don't think anyone has ever looked at me like that before, and I don't know how to react.

"I-I… y-you… I m-mean… Thank you. Your majesty." I stutter, blushing furiously and deviating my gaze, suddenly becoming a nervous wreck. What is wrong with me?

"It's nothing." She shrugs, like it's not a big deal. "Come on, let's go see the other stalls." And with that she takes my hand (I seriously feel I'm going to faint the instant she touches me) and starts running to god-knows-where. A little smile appears on my face despite myself. I get a feeling I'm really going to enjoy my time here.

* * *

After buying the flower, the queen and I go see the other stalls (Rapunzel and Eugene disappeared some time ago). There are so many stalls! Most are owned by people of Hellesen, but some are of people from other villages in Arendelle, and even other kingdoms. Like that weird ambulant sauna; apparently the owner came from the mountains near the north border.

I asked Anna what was the festival for, and she explained to me it was to commemorate the anniversary of Hellesen's foundation. Apparently, today was the two hundred and seventy third anniversary of the town, which explains why there were so many people here. They came from nearby villages to celebrate this special occasion with their friends and family.

It was a tradition, apparently, to have a three-day-long fair before the mayor talks a little about the important events that have taken place on the town the last year, and then everyone dances around a great fire at the main square. I honestly can't wait for that; I know it'll be pretty spectacular.

"Come here, come here, and try your aim at the 'rings and bottles' game!" A man shouts as Anna and I pass, eating the chocolate ice-creams we just bought a few minutes ago. "Ladies, don't you wanna participate in the game? You could earn fabulous prices." He politely addresses us, and we stop for a moment to look at the game. There are five wine bottles three feet away from the counter, and people are throwing wooden rings at them, trying to make them land on the bottles.

"What are the rules?" Anna asks curiously as she approaches to the stall. I, of course, follow her.

"Your hand can't get past the counter, and you only have three shots, of which the three have to land on the same bottle." He answers smiling, happy that two potential clients just stopped at his local.

"That sounds pretty difficult." I comment, eying at the rings. They are barely wide enough for the bottles.

"Well, if it was easy, everyone could do it, right?" He laughs, obviously trying to make it seem like it's possible to beat the game, but… I don't think anyone has ever done it.

"I'll try." Anna says confident, stepping forward to the counter. "How much is it?"

"Five pennies." He answers with a smirk, obviously doubting a young girl like Anna could win. Also, I don't think he recognizes her as the queen, since he doesn't call her 'your majesty', like everyone else. Interestingly though, even when Anna seems confused for a second for his lack of respect towards her, she doesn't say anything. I'm starting to think not even _she_ thinks of herself as the queen.

"Here it is!" She exclaims, practically shoving the money on his hand before taking the three wooden rings from him and turning and offering me her ice-cream. "Here, hold it for me, will you?" I take it from her hand with a nod, and she proceeds to walk towards the counter, position herself and try to aim.

She closes one eye and sticks out her tongue in a cute way, apparently trying to concentrate, but I really doubt she's ever thrown anything with accuracy in her life, and so it's no surprise when she fails the first shot. By far too much. The ring actually ends up flying out of sight, and the stall's owner has to send a boy to search for it. Anna smiles sheepishly before letting the second ring fly… and hit another bottle, making it topple and crash into the ground. Thankfully, there's a carpet that breaks its fall, and it doesn't smash into a hundred pieces. The last shot is not as bad as the other two though; she actually manages to hit a bottle, and for a moment it seems the ring will go down on it, but then it falls to the ground, failing completely.

"Again." She says determined before putting the money on the counter and taking the wooding rings the man offers her with a suspicious smirk. I really think there's no way to win this game.

This time, she manages to hit one bottle tree times, but only one time does the ring fits into the bottle. And of course, she tries again. In the first throw, she actually manages to land the ring on the bottle, and the man's smirk actually wavers for a moment, more so when she does the same with the second throw. However, at the third throw the ring hits the bottle's top and then falls off, effectively ending any chance Anna may have had at wining.

"Ugh!" She screams in frustration, pulling at her hair. "This thing is impossible."

"It's not for everyone." The man shrugs, heavily implying that someone like Anna wouldn't possibly be able to beat his stupid game. The redhead, however, doesn't seem to catch up on his mean tone, and just slumps her shoulders in defeat, as if accepting he's right. At this, the man seems satisfied, like he gains some kind of twisted satisfaction watching people lose in his stupid game.

Well, I'm not letting him get away with making Anna sad.

"I want to try it too." I say before I can think better about it, making both their heads turn towards me with surprised expressions.

"If you have the money, I don't see why not." The man answers, smiling in an amused way. If he didn't think Anna could win the game, he obviously doubts me even more.

"I'll pay." Anna interferes, giving him some coins. "Go ahead." She then tells me with a kind smile, and I smile gratefully on response.

"You'll see. I win you a prize." I say before giving her the ice-creams and taking off my gloves, putting them on my pocket. I know I really should do this, but I can't think on any other way to win.

I take the wooden rings the man offers me and then breathe in deeply, trying to concentrate. It's crucial I create enough ice around these rings that I can control their trajectory, but in a way that isn't noticeable. So I make a thin layer of transparent ice appear on them before reading myself to throw. I still have to aim, so I don't have to force the rings too much off of their original trajectory, but that proves to be simple enough as I throw the first one.

Even if it's in the air, I can actually feel it and predict where it'll land, so I carefully direct it to land in the bottle with perfect accuracy. I smirk at the stall's owner's stunned face before doing the same with the second and third ring, procuring to melt the ice once I'm finished. Then I turn to him and can't help a smug smile appearing on my face as his eyes widen in disbelief.

"So? Where is my prize?" I ask, just before being crushed by an excited Anna, who does little jumps as she hugs me, utterly impressed by what I just did.

"Wow! Elsa, that was awesome!" She exclaims, wearing a grin so wide it's gotta hurt. "How did you even do that?!"

"Luck." I wink at her before pulling out my gloves and putting them on again, implying I used my magic for this.

"Well, then you must be the luckiest woman ever." The man interferes, trying to sound polite, but obviously restraining his displeasure for my win. "Please, feel free to choose any prize you wish." He says, pointing to a series of toys he has on a table next to the bottles. I don't really need or want anything though, and I think Anna would be happier to have one, so I turn to the redhead and ask her instead.

"Which one do you want? I'll let you choose." I say.

"Really?" She asks with a hopeful face, getting even more excited, if possible.

"Yes." I nod, and she immediately bounces off to the table before taking a stuffed white bear and hugging it tightly.

"Oh, it's so pushy!" She sighs in content, making a silly little smile appear on my face. She's just too adorable for her own good sometimes. Not that I'm complaining, of course; nothing warms my heart more than making the redhead happy. Why? I don't know. Maybe because she's the first friend I've made (at least that I remember), or the fact she lets me stay at the palace, even though she placed herself and her position at risk by doing so. Either way, my feelings for her are getting stronger everyday… I just hope that doesn't become a problem in the future.

* * *

Night has come, and with it, the time for the mayor to say some words. As the guests of honor, we're given sits in front of the platform, a few feet away from everyone else and with some guards keeping anyone from getting too close to the queen. Anna though, is expected to be up there with the mayor, and she doesn't look comfortable with that at all; she's pacing in front of us with a deep frown, trying to concentrate and calm down, but… I don't think she's succeeding.

"Ugh! Can you stop?" Rapunzel suddenly bursts out. "You're making me dizzy." At her words, Anna actually stops, but only to give her a hard glare.

"I'm just nervous, okay? It's not every day that I have to speak to my subjects." She retorts.

"I'm sure you'll do it well enough." Eugene encourages her, but Anna's scowl just becomes more prominent.

"I don't have any idea of what to say!" She protests. "And I'm sure I'll start rambling and they'll all laugh at me."

"Has that happened before?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. After all, I doubt this is the first time Anna has talked to her people, and if they laughed when she started rambling the last few times… well, let's just say I doubt they have any respect for her whatsoever.

"Well… yeah." She shrugs like it's not a big deal. "I mean, even _I_ have to admit it's funny when I start rambling."

"But it still bothers you." I say, confident that I'm right.

"Well… I mean… it was okay when I was just a silly little princess. But I'm their queen now, and I really want to have their respect and admiration." She admits with a down casted expression. "But maybe I'm not deserving of it, you know? I'm just a girl pretending to be their ruler." Her voice cracks at the end and I see her fists clenching at her sides. She looks like she's about to break down crying at any moment, and that can't be good.

"That's not true." Rapunzel says before I have the chance, and then she stands up and goes to hug her cousin. "You deserve to be queen, Anna. I've seen it all these days I've been here; you try your best to do what your people need, and you think more about them than about yourself."

"But it's not enough." She answers with a trembling voice, her eyes now wet with tears. "It's never enough. I'll never be like my parents."

"That's right." I say, standing up and going to place my hand on Anna's shoulder in a comforting gesture. I don't like to see her cry, or disparaging herself, more so when she doesn't deserve that. "You'll never be like your parents, but maybe that's a good thing." I continue, encouraged by the way Anna looks up at me with hope, like relying on me to lift her spirits. "I mean, I'm sure they were good people, since they raised you well, and Arendelle seems to be prosperous enough." I clarify, not wanting to sound disrespectful to the former monarchs. "But your father was the one who removed all the ice-wielders from the land without a second thought, without even giving us a chance. You, however, took me in, and treated me well. You tried to understand, to judge me for who I am rather than for _what_ I am. And I think that's what makes you a good ruler; you see the good in everyone and try to do the best for them. You care about every single one of the citizens, Anna, and I think if you show them that, they'll notice you're the best Queen they could've asked for."

"You sure have a way with words." Anna chuckles, wiping the tears off her face. "Wanna take my place up there?" She jokes.

"Come on, you'll do it fine." Eugene (who is now standing beside us) assures her. "Just concentrate on what you want to say."

"Yes, tell them about how happy you are to be here, how much you liked the festival… all that stuff." Rapunzel adds.

"And whatever you do, don't look them in the eye." I say. When the three look at me confused, I rush to explain myself, blushing and looking down. "It's easier to address large crowds that way."

"How do you even…?" Anna starts asking, but then a guard comes to inform her it's time, and she seems to forget completely about her question, proceeding to separate from Rapunzel and quickly follow him to the stage.

As I sit down, however, I can't help wondering _how_ do I know how to address large crowds. If I was just a normal Northerner, I wouldn't know, right? So I must have been someone important, like… No, I'm not going there. I'm not the Ice Queen. I'm not. I just know it.

I don't have time to ponder about it though, because in that moment the major, a bald and tall man, which has to be around fifty, steps into the platform, and everyone quiets, waiting for him to speak. He first gives Anna a little bow, to which she answers with a polite nod, before addressing the people.

"Welcome, everyone." He says with a smile. "And especially to Prin… _Queen_ Anna." Now, he's the second one who almost says her former title. Seems like not even he, a public figure, sees her as the monarch. "And her guests from Corona." He continues. "Princess Rapunzel, Prince-consort Eugene, and Lady Elsa." At this, Rapunzel stands up and waves enthusiastically, earning applauses from the crowd. I start wondering if I'm supposed to do the same, but then she sits down once more and everyone quiets again.

"Your majesty, would you do me the honor?" He asks, signaling her to the front, obviously wanting her to speak. She swallows and clenches her hands at her front so tightly I'm afraid she'll break her fingers or something, but she steps to the front nonetheless and looks around nervously.

"Uhm… H-hi." She starts with a shaky voice, completely disregarding my suggestion of not looking directly at the people. However, she soon seems to realize her mistake, because she deviates her gaze and her eyes land on me. I give her an encouraging smile and a nod, urging her to continue. "Uh… I'm happy to be here today. In this town of Hellesen." Her voice now doesn't waver, but still sounds a little stiff and insecure. And her fear is written all over her face. She really needs to learn how to speak in public. "I-I know today it's a special occasion because it's the…" She pauses and pales, before turning to look at the major. "Uhm… which anniversary is it, again?"

I almost face palm myself. That's something a queen should never do. Geez, didn't her parents teach her anything?

"The two hundred and seventy three anniversary. My Queen." He answers with a quiet tone, so only Anna (and us, because we're in the front row) can hear him.

"Right." She nods nervously and turns to the crowd again. "The two hundred and seventy three anniversary of this town." She says with a forced smile. "And I know this is an important event for you. And Arendelle. Yep, all of Arendelle, including myself." She pauses, taking a deep breath and eying at the stuffed bear that's now in her cousin's lap. "I personally enjoyed the fair very much, you know? The games and… stuff. And chocolates." She giggles, and even I can't help a smile appearing on my face. Everyone else though, actually starts laughing with her, which seems to ease her mood a little. "What I want to say is… It's an honor to be here with you, sharing this special occasion. Thank you." She finishes without further stuttering, which earn her applauses and cheering. Then, she signals the mayor to start his usual speech as she just stays at his side, watching.

He talks about what he's accomplished the last year and about the important events that have happened in the town, ranging from a wedding to the construction of a new school. He also mentions that no Northerners have appeared around here for a while, thanks to the brave efforts of the army, and everyone cheers loudly at that. I, however, can't help feeling uncomfortable at his words. I mean, I know most Northerners have come here with murderous and unethical intentions, but… not all of them, right? I can't believe I'm the only ice-wielder who is not driven crazy by power and thinks of themselves as superior.

But anyways, I really shouldn't worry about that right now. Today is a day of celebration, and I'm not letting any dark thoughts pull me down. The fire is already being lit and the musicians are getting ready to start playing their instruments, so we can dance. Tonight I'll have fun. Tonight I will dance and laugh and talk with Anna, Rapunzel and Eugene.

Tomorrow though, I think I'll have a serious conversation with Anna. She needs to learn to interact with her subjects, so they can see what a wonderful queen she is. I don't know if she'll be offended with my suggestion, but… I'm willing to take the risk. I, somehow, feel like I can help her, and I'm not letting her struggle with her queenly duties on her own if I can be of use to her.

I just hope everything turns out alright.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, so… I know this took way to long, but in my defense, I has finishing my other fic (Just one week, also Elsanna. Check it out ;D), and I've also had a lot of homework. Sorry about the delay anyways. I hope it won't happen again now that I only have two fics to write.**

 **As always, thanks for reading, favorite, follow and/or reviewing this story. I hoped you liked this chapter and, if you did, please leave a comment telling me what you think of it, or if you have any questions about the story or whatever, you can ask me and I'll be happy to answer :)**

 **And, as always, thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

" _W-what's going on?" I ask, confused, alternating my gaze between Bulda and the soldiers, who are pushing us towards the center of the town (that is, if these dozens of poorly constructed ramshackle huts can be called a town). However, no one answers my question; Bulda just looks at me, eyes colored with sadness and compassion, while Olaf appears to be just as confused as I am. Marshmallow, a towering figure half a step behind Olaf, just keeps looking to the front with a mixture of anger and helpless frustration._

 _This is just so weird! I don't understand why the soldiers woke us all up in the middle of the night, or why everyone is so sad about it. I mean, I get the weary looks, and the anger, but… why are they_ sad _?_

 _We come to a stop where the soldiers indicate, and at first I can't see anything but the whipping pole in the distance. But then the soldiers start searching for children, and they take us to the front. I try to resist, holding Bulda's hand as hard as I can, but she doesn't hold me back, and only whispers a small "It's okay" before I'm taken away._

 _They put me with the other children and push us forward, forcing our group to form a circle around the pole. Now only a few paces away from it we can see… five human figures; three adults and two children, their faces covered by sacs, and their hands tied behind their backs._

 _I know what this is, even though I've never seen it with my own eyes. And I know why they brought the children to the front; they want us to see._

" _I am sure you're all wondering why we brought you here in the middle of the night." A man starts talking. He's tall and muscular, and his voice is powerful, carrying the iron weight of authority. He's dressed with the uniform of Arendelle's soldiers, but has multiple medals on his chest and a ornate sable on his hip, so he's obviously a high ranking commander of some sort._

" _Well, it is with great displeasure that I inform you tonight that these Northerners tried to escape from the Northern Lands." He points to the people beside him, and chills run down my spine. I know his next words before he pronounces them. "As you may know, the punishment for such a crime is death."_

 _No one dares utter a word, so silence reins for a few seconds. I look around nervously and note most people have disapproving looks in their faces, but I don't know if they're directed to the ones who tried to escape or to the commander._

" _We deemed them too dangerous to be kept alive any longer, and so the execution will have to take place now, despite the late hour." He continues explaining. "I don't need to remind you that your presence is mandatory, and anyone who tries to leave before this ends will be punished accordingly." He adds with a threatening voice and a scowl on his face. I can't help wondering what such a punishment would imply._

" _I just hope their deaths will serve as an example of what happens to the ones that go against the law." He concludes before turning around and giving the soldiers a signal, to which they promptly proceed to remove the bags from the prisoners' heads._

 _As I noticed before, three of them are adults; two women and one man. The woman who is farther away from me has white hair and blue eyes, and is relatively young. The man beside her has grey hair and a long equally grey beard, though I don't know if that's because of his age or because he is an ice-wielder. The other woman, however, looks remarkably different from the other two; she has red hair, freckles and green, scared eyes. She looks pretty young too, and so helpless I feel the urge to liberate her. More so, considering she's trying to calm down the two kids, presumably her children._

 _The girl right next to her has to be around my age, but her body is frail and I can clearly see her bones through the thin fabric of her ragged dress. She looks like she's never had a good meal in her life. Her scared eyes have a greenish color, her hair is brown, and she seems to have inherited the freckles from her mother. She looks just so_ vulnerable _, so scared, crying and asking her mother what's going on._

 _Her brother is more composed, but his eyes betray his outwardly calm appearance, showing the true fear and despair he feels at the situation. He has the red hair and green eyes of his mother, and is just as thin as his sister. But his height betrays his age, and it looks like he's on the cusp of manhood._

 _I'm pulled out of my thoughts, however, when Olaf, who's next to me, suddenly talks._

" _They look like they all need a warm hug, don't you think so Marshmallow?" He asks his older brother, who just looks down at him and shakes his head with a grave expression, indicating to Olaf that his words aren't appropriate in this situation._

 _Sometimes it's easy to forget he's only a couple of years younger than me, given how naively he acts. And though his commentaries are usually endearing, funny and well-intentioned, I have to agree with Marshall this time; he needs to keep his mouth shut. His silly smiles and positive attitude are utterly out of place here._

" _Well, let's proceed with the execution." The commander speaks once more before turning to look at the prisoners. "Northerners, by the order of King Agdar of Arendelle, you are hereby charged with trying to escape from the Northern Lands, even after having been exiled. As such, your punishment is death, to be carried out immediately." He pauses, stepping forward and drawing out his sword. "Any last words?" He then asks, but no one dares speak; two of the adults just glare at him with despise and anger, but the family looks more scared and hopeless than anything. "Very well." He nods, his eyes darkening before he steps towards the white-haired woman._

 _Silence reigns for a few tense seconds. I can hear my heart beating fast inside my chest. I clench my fists, almost hurting myself with my nails, if not for the gloves I'm wearing._

 _I wish mom was here. She'd stop all this, I'm sure._

 _But mom isn't here. No one stops the man when he presses the sword against the woman's neck and quickly slices it wide open._

 _Blood. So much blood. Blood like rivers flows to the ground, before the woman drops dead._

 _It's such a gruesome sight. I want to look away, or close my eyes or_ something _… But I can't. I can't do anything except hyperventilate when the same blood-stained sword cuts open the man's neck._

 _The magic inside my veins fights to come out, agitated by the horrors in front of me. But I know it'd only make everything worse. I can't let it out._

 _Conceal, don't feel. Conceal, don't feel. I repeat inside my head my old mantra, but not even that can placate my magic; not when the one to be murdered next is the kids' mother. They're going to kill her in front of them, not caring that they look to be in the verge of crying, no doubt already knowing what's about to happen._

 _I try to force myself not to look at them, but I can't, and I soon find myself staring into the green eyes of the girl. Innocent eyes of an innocent girl just like me. A girl who is just seconds away from becoming an orphan, and minutes away from dying._

 _I can't allow that, I just can't! It's unfair, it's monstrous. What kind of person would I be if I do nothing? I know no one else will step up because it'd be suicide, but I… I have the power. I can save them. I_ will _save them._

 _Before I can think better of it, I find myself running to where the commander is (ignoring Marshall's cry of "wait, Elsa!"), just as he's about to strike the woman, and place myself between the two of them, yelling at him to stop._

 _He appears disconcerted for a moment, but then he quickly recovers, realizing what's going on, and glares at me._

" _Back off, kid." He says in a warning tone. "Unless you want to join them." He points with his head to the two corpses laying behind him, but I force myself not to look or be intimidated._

" _Please, don't kill them." I decide to ask nicely first; the last thing I want is to use my powers. "The children are innocent, and they would never survive without their mother. Can't you just let them go for now?"_

" _You know the law." He answers, not caring about what I just said. "So now, back off or I'll be forced to kill you as well."_

 _I glare at him, determined to stay my ground, and ready to release my powers if he were to attack me. But before either of us have a chance to act, someone takes my hand and pulls me towards them. I look up to see it's Bulda._

" _I'm sorry, commander." She says bowing her head. "Please forgive her; this is her first time seeing an execution."_

" _Just make sure it doesn't happen again; trying to save criminals is punished harshly." He warns her._

" _Of course, thank you, sir. You're very generous." She answers, again bowing her head before starting to drag me back with the others. I quickly look at her, wanting to be mad at her for stopping me, but… I know she's just trying to save me. She loves me very much, and doesn't want to lose me, so it's logical she'd do something like this. And I wouldn't want to make her sad, since she's been so nice with me, so maybe I can… I can let them die… right? I mean, why would I risk my own life for a bunch of strangers?_

 _But as I look back to them, I feel the need to pull away from Bulda. The mother has her head bowed, jaw tense in anticipation of her destiny, but she's not trying to escape. The boy has an air of resignation or sadness, as if he'd already expected someone to stop me from saving them. But the girl… gosh, the girl is looking straight at me, and in her eyes shines a combination of desperate hope and a silent plea of help. She has faith in me. She thinks I can save her even though she doesn't know what I can do. She's practically begging for help with her eyes! And she's not looking at Bulda, or Marshall, or some other_ bigger _person. No, she's looking at me. I'm her only hope._

 _Silently asking Bulda to forgive me, I pull away from her grip as strongly as I can, which causes her to be left with my glove on her hand, but that's okay; I won't need it._

 _Before she can try and stop me again, I turn around and release a blast of magic at the commander, just as he's about to thrust his sword forward and end the woman's life. And though my magic hits it's its target (his chest), his armor protects him, and so the blast sends him flying a few meters but doesn't kill him. Instantly, the other soldiers point their weapons at me, ready to attack._

 _I don't want to kill them, but I don't have full control of my magic, so I can't say I won't._

 _They first try to attack me with their crossbows, but my powers automatically raise a thick wall of ice around me, so the arrows don't hit me. Soon, realizing it isn't working, some come at me with their unsheathed swords. But before they can even get close, icicles sprout from the ground, lethally wounding some of them and leaving others with deep cuts on their limbs._

 _I didn't mean to do that. I only wanted to freeze the floor and make them slip, but… my powers just won't obey me._

 _I want to throw up at the sight of blood, of soldiers screaming and trying in vain to escape from me. But that's impossible; the more agitated I become because of what I'm seeing, the more powerful my magic becomes… which of course leads to more gruesome sights around me. It's a vicious circle I can't escape. But at least I'm not dying, nor are the Northerner kids behind me._

 _I still try to get my magic in control though; try to stop it from killing everyone, and instead focus solely on incapacitating them, and for a moment it seems like I'm succeeding. I hit one in the knee, leaving him crying in pain on the ground. I freeze another in place. I blast away the weapons of a third one, and I'm about to drop a giant ice cube on the head of another, when in the midst of the confusing battle, I hear a piercing scream resonating behind me._

 _I halt my attacks for a second, turning around to see what happened, only to find… the captain standing above the woman's corpse. The girl had been the one to scream, and now she was crying and struggling with her binds as she sees her mother's body lying on the ground._

 _The captain. I forgot about the captain._

 _My guts twist as a sudden anger invades my body. I'm angry at the captain for killing her. Angry at myself for forgetting about him. Angry that I wasn't powerful enough to penetrate his armor. Angry at the world for putting me in this situation._

 _I should have killed him before he killed her. It's the disturbing thought that causes revulsion in me, yet… it makes sense. If I had killed him, if I had aimed for his head instead of his chest, then maybe the woman would be alive, and her kids wouldn't be orphans now._

 _And why should I care for their lives anyway? These soldiers sure as hell don't care for_ our _lives. They'd happily kill me if given the chance. They'd kill Olaf, Marshall or Bulda without hesitation. They keep oppressing us, abusing their power and protecting themselves behind the fact that they're under the crown's orders. So why should they live? How would that make this world a better one?_

 _Before I have time to come to a conclusion though, the captain takes the little girl by her hair and pulls her up, holding on despite her screaming and desperate attempts to get away. He presses his sword against her thin neck and looks at me with a defiant expression. He wants me to see that all my efforts were for nothing, but I won't let him take another life. Even if I have to take one myself._

 _Resolved, I raise my gloveless hand and point it towards him. I'm shaking. My whole body is shaking. I feel the magic pulsating in my veins, begging to be released. Due to my agitated state, more icicles form around me, wounding and killing the soldiers unfortunate enough to be in the range of my magic._

 _A knot forms on my throat and tears fall down my eyes. I don't want this. I don't want to kill anyone. I don't want to be a monster… But I have to. It's the only way._

 _Hardening my resolution, I take one final breath in before releasing a powerful blast of magic, this one perfectly aimed to his head._

 _As I see blood flying, painting the newly-fell snow of red, my magic comes loose, and I can no longer control it. I can't do anything when it starts killing each and every one of the soldiers around me. I can just scream, and cry and fall to the ground yelling for it to stop. But it won't, because even if it's a part of myself, it's linked to my emotions, not my thoughts._

 _I end up curling up in the ground, grasping at the snow and waiting for this carnage to be over._

* * *

I wake up gasping, crying and struggling against whoever is holding me. I try to pull away from him, but he's too strong. He's holding my hands, and so even if I were to release my powers, they probably wouldn't hurt him right away… though it may give me an opportunity to escape.

I'm just about to release my magic, when I hear his yell, so strong it pulls me out of my rage, more so considering I know that voice.

"Elsa! Stop!" Kristoff says, and I force myself to focus on his face, clearly distinguishable even though it's still dark.

Realizing I'm apparently safe, I stop struggling and look around, trying to make sense of where I am. And of course, I can see I'm in my room, in my _bed_. It was a dream.

"Elsa?" He asks, now sounding more concerned than angry, and I force myself to look at him, but it's hard to focus because of how fast my heart is racing inside my chest, or how my magic doesn't seem to want to stay inside. "Are you okay?" His voice helps me concentrate a little, but when I try to answer, I realize my throat is sore and only a little pathetic whimper is able to escape my mouth.

I'm crying. Tears are falling down my cheeks. Tears that freeze almost as soon as they reach my chin. I realize, startled, that my nightgown, bed, and entire room are also frozen solid. How Kristoff escaped the rage of my powers is beyond me.

"Elsa?" He asks again, now appearing even more concerned. Which is weird, because I'm pretty sure he hated me not so long ago. Only because of this, I force myself to swallow, try to get rid of the knot on my throat and say _something_.

"N-n-nightmare." I finally manage after a few seconds, but even as I say this, tears keep falling from my eyes in rapid succession.

"That… must have been a very bad nightmare." He comments, looking at me with a mixture of worry, confusion and awkwardness. He doesn't know what to do with me, or my freakish powers that are currently out of control, which is probably the most worrying matter.

"It was." I answer snakingly, trying to make the ice disappear and failing miserably. My powers seem to be just as erratic as in my dream.

"Do you think you can get this under control?" He asks, pointing at my ice. And though I know I can't, I nod, not wanting him to do anything drastic.

"Okay." He sighs, slowly letting go of my shoulders and getting out of my bed. "Do you need anything?"

 _Anna._ Is my first thought, but I know I can't request something like that, much less in the middle of the night, so I settle for the next best thing.

"W-water would be nice." I say, and he nods before turning around and getting out of my room, not before locking it and taking the key with him. It's perhaps a little rude and inconsiderate, but I can't really blame him; in my current state I'm a danger to everyone in the castle, including Anna, and his duty is to protect her, so…

I just wish he comes back soon. I'm feeling uneasy, being surrounded by all this ice I can't seem to control.

I try willing it away again, but it's for naught. I try to think of happy things, like the amazing time I had with Anna at the festival the day before yesterday, but I can't concentrate, not with the dream fresh in my mind. More so considering I'm not sure it was a dream.

There have now been two "nightmares", too real to be just that. Too familiar for me to have never seen those images before. Too similar to what it must have been like at the Northern Lands before the Ice Queen appeared.

I think… I think they're memories. And my now slightly diminished headache supports this theory. But the disturbing thing is… if they are memories, then… I _did_ kill those soldiers. Both times. I saw them murder Northerners. I stole food because they wouldn't feed us. And who knows how many more horrors I experienced throughout my life? I don't think I want my memories back anymore.

Suddenly, the door opens, interrupting my thoughts. I look up, relieved to have a distraction again, but then I find… Anna. Yes, Anna came with Kristoff. She's dressed only with a thin green nightgown that shows her perfect legs and allows me to have a better look at the soft-looking mounds on her chest.

I gulp. I know if I wasn't in such a shaken state I'd be a blushing mess. Anna is really beautiful, even if her hair looks like a bird's nest.

"Leave us alone." She tells Kristoff, who looks like he's about to protest for a moment, before sighing and handing Anna a glass of water.

"I'll be outside." He says before casting a warning glare at me and exiting the room, leaving me alone with the Queen of Arendelle, which is… good and bad at the same time.

"Kristoff told me you had a nightmare." She says as she starts walking towards me.

"I-It was nothing." I answer, looking down in shame and almost cringing at how weak and swollen my voice sounded. "He shouldn't have w-woken you up for s-something so m-minor." I add as I search for a handkerchief in my night table, so I can erase any trace of my crying, even when I know Anna's already seen me.

"Kristoff didn't wake me; he found me in the kitchen when I sneaked in to get chocolate." She giggles, but when she notices I don't even smile she frowns concerned, becoming serious once more. "Besides, if it was truly nothing… why did you freeze your room?" She asks with a soft and calming voice, sitting on the bed next to me, searching for my gaze, which is currently glued to the frozen mattress.

"Why, even as we speak, is there ice crawling out of your room and towards the hallway?" She insists when I don't answer, but the tone she uses isn't accusatory, as one would expect in this situation. Nor is it angry or even demanding. She sounds truly concerned and curious. She wants to help me, but I'm not making this any easier to her.

"I-It was horrible." I admit, trying to hold back my tears, but failing as images of blood and death fill my mind once more. " _Truly_ horrible." I add, drawing in a shaky breath. "But it was just a dream nonetheless."

"You know?" She starts before taking the handkerchief out of my hands and giving me the glass of water instead. It freezes almost instantly though, so I put it on my bedside table without even bothering to try and thaw it. "When I was young I used to have nightmares too." She continues, bringing the handkerchief to my face and wiping the tears. "I don't remember what they were about anymore, just that I woke up crying and couldn't sleep afterwards. However, father once told me that, if you tell someone your nightmare, it won't come true. So I always told him or mom about them, and I learned to stop fearing them because I knew they were just dreams." She gives me a sweet little smile, probably trying to calm me down, but it's not working as much as I'd want it to. "So, why don't you share your nightmare with me? It may help you." She suggests, and though I know she has the best of intentions, I'm pretty sure telling her about my dream won't help me _at all_.

"That wouldn't be of any use." I say, trying to control the little sobs that escape from my mouth.

"Why not?" She titles her head, confused.

"Because what I d-dreamt… it's already happened." I answer honestly with a small voice; there's no use on keeping this secret from Anna, not when she's just trying to help me _and_ she already knows I'm a Northerner. Plus, she cares about me enough to come and talk to me after hearing I had a nightmare, so I think I at least owe her an explanation for my current state.

"Uh… what do you mean?" She asks, now more worried, if possible. "Did you dreamt about that time those men tried to kill you?"

"No." I shake my head as fresh tears, product of me remembering again my nightmare, run down my face, only to be promptly wiped by Anna. "N-no." I repeat, clenching my teeth in an effort to keep myself from sobbing pathetically again. "I-I… it was…" But as I try to explain it, I start crying again, my sobs being so strong they leave me breathless, and I begin to hyperventilate.

I'm barely aware of a pair of arms encircling me, pulling me close until my face is buried in the crook of her neck and my hands are tightly clutching handfuls of her nightgown in a vain attempt to find some comfort, but… something inside me broke after that dream. It was as if something cold buried itself inside my heart, hurting me in a way that left me unable to feel entirely good ever again. Like someone put a veil over my positive feelings, and I will never be able to experience them completely again.

"Shhh, Elsa. It's okay." Anna whispers softly to my ear as she rubs calming circles in my back, which actually helps me somewhat, but only to better control my powers and stop freezing the castle. It does nothing to stop the flood of horrid memories I experienced some time in my childhood.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me." She continues soothing me. "It was a memory, wasn't it?" I nod into her shoulder, at the same time trying to keep my sobs as quiet as possible. "Of when you lived in the Northern Lands?" I nod again. "Damn, that must have been awful." She sighs, and for a moment a wonder if she's aware of how Arendelle's soldiers treat us, but then she speaks again. "Did you see the Ice Queen?"

"N-no." I force myself to answer this time, determined to explain to her that the worse thing about the Northern Lands, at least when I was a child, had nothing to do with some powerful ice-wielder. "I-I… I was very young and… t-there was an execution." I whimper, and feel Anna tense at my words.

"An… execution?" She gulps audibly, and I nod.

"F-five Northerners." I choke out. "They… t-hey had tried to escape." I wait for her to say something, but when she just stays silent, apparently waiting for me to continue, I speak again, trying to block the images out of my head and concentrate solely on the facts. "T-two women, a man a-and…" I sob into her shoulder, trying to force out my next words, but a knot has formed on my throat, and when I'm finally able to pronounce them, it sounds like someone is choking me. "A-and… t-two children." After saying it, I burst out crying loudly, recalling the kids' faces, especially the little girl's, when their mother died in front of their eyes. I don't think I'll ever be able to forget that.

"H-hang on!" Anna exclaims shakily before pulling away just enough to look into my eyes, and I see in her face an expression of both horror and disbelief. "Are you telling me that Arendellian soldiers killed two children because they tried to _escape_?"

"No." I shake my head before breathing in deeply, preparing myself for what I'm about to say next. "N-no, they didn't b-because…" A loud sob escapes me as I collapse once again into her shoulder, crying. "Because _I_ killed the soldiers!" I practically shout before I burst out in loud sobs, fighting to control them so I can breathe, but I end up gasping for air. Thankfully, Anna pulls me even tighter and whispers something to my ear. I don't hear her though; I can just hear my own sobs and the blood beating fast on my ears.

"You… killed them?" She asks in shock, but at least she doesn't sound angry or scared at me. "But… _how_? Didn't you say you were very young?"

"I was so mad, Anna." I sob into her shoulder. "I couldn't let them kill the children, not after they'd already killed their mother." I pause, organizing my thoughts. "I-I… I wanted to… to stop them, and I-I just… I lost control of my powers." I admit as a new wave of tears and sobs start coming out of me.

"Hey, hey, it's okay." She says soothingly, but it makes me angry because it seems she doesn't understand that I _killed_ several men when I was just a child. I'm a murderer. A monster.

"No! It's not okay!" I yell at her, separating just enough to glare at her. "Didn't you hear? I killed them, Anna! I murdered them with my powers! I-I… I'm just as bad as all those Northerners that abuse their powers to do bad things!"

"No, you're not." She answers calmly, placing her hand over my cheek and wiping my tears with her thumb. "You just said it was an accident; you didn't want to kill them. The situation forced your hand."

"But…!" I start to protest once again, but she quickly places her finger over my lips, effectively silencing me.

"Now, I'm not saying it was _okay_ for you to kill them. But I don't think this makes you a bad person, especially since you were just trying to save two children." She gives me a reassuring smile, but I'm still internally fighting against her words.

"That… t-that wasn't the only time I killed someone, you know?" I say through gritted teeth. "The other day, when you woke me up because I was also having a nightmare… it was very similar."

"It was?" Her eyes widen, and I continue explaining to her the painful truth.

"Yes." I nod, looking down to the bed in shame. "It was winter and I wanted food, so I stole some from the guards." I frown, also remembering that dream, and how scared I was. "They found me and took me to the whipping pole, but I was scared, and I killed them all before they had a chance to kill me." I now look up to Anna's eyes, almost expecting to find revulsion in them, or even fear, but she just seems… shocked. "I was even younger then. I-I think that was the first time I ever killed."

"Y-you were just trying to defend yourself, Elsa." She reassures me, even if she sounds a little bit unsure now. "And you were just a little girl, of course you were scared! And your powers are tied to your emotions, are they not? So it's logical they'd get out of control in both situations."

"Why don't you understand that I'm a monster, Anna?!" I scream in frustration. "I _murdered_ people! I attacked them with my powers, I-I…" A sob interrupts me before I have the chance to finish what I was saying, and soon I find myself resting once again against Anna.

"Shhh. You're not a monster." She says with a soft voice. "The fact you feel so bad about what happened proves it. You're just a good person who found herself in terrible situations at a very young age."

"But if I didn't have these freakish powers I wouldn't have killed them!" I protest. "I'm a monster, just like all ice-wielders." I shout, even though I hate when other people misjudge me just because of my magic. I hate myself for saying it, but at the same time, I hate myself for being an ice-wielder. It's a weird and nasty feeling, and I just want to disappear.

"If knowing you has proved something to me, Elsa, is that ice-wielders are no different from regular people, and your powers can be fun and useful. You just have to be careful; you are an adult now, you can control them." She says with conviction, but I still don't believe her.

"I-I can't." I choke out. "Look." I separate from her to allow her to contemplate the mess I made in my room, but to my surprise, she just sighs and gives me a little smile.

"That's because of the nightmare; don't worry, I'll have you moved to another room first thing tomorrow."

"Why?" I say, almost angry at her. "Why are you treating me so nicely even after what I told you? Even after you've seen I can't control myself?"

"Because it was my parents' fault that you had to experience those things." She says, and when I look into her eyes, I can see sadness, regret and a little bit of anger in them. But not at me, no; at her parents. "And also because I believe everyone deserves a second chance, no matter what kinds of things they've done, especially if they did them for a good reason."

"Anna…" I start, but am promptly interrupted by the queen.

"Shhh, come on. It's time to sleep." She says before taking the covers and putting them on me, even if I protest and try to stop her. "You look tired, and creating all this ice must have taken a lot of energy. Please, Elsa, you need to rest."

"Anna…" I say again, but she just gets up and goes for a chair, so she can sit beside my bed.

"I'd take you to another room right now, but I'm afraid that'd only mean you'd freeze it too, so you'll have to sleep here for tonight." She casts me an apologetic smile. "I'll be right here until you fall asleep again, just in case you need anything."

"You don't have to do this." I say, feeling guilty that I'm keeping the Queen, of all people, up half the night just because I had a stupid nightmare and became a crying mess afterwards.

"I do." She contradicts me. "You are my guest, and as such, it's my duty to tend to all your needs. But more importantly, you are my _friend_ , and I'm not letting you suffer alone if I can help it."

I was going to protest again, but when I heard the word "friend" escape her lips, a stupid little smile formed on my face, even if I was still sobbing a bit. That simple word warmed my heart, and helped the ice to start thawing. And thus, I didn't protest anymore, instead focusing on going to sleep so Anna could retire to her room as soon as possible, which of course is simpler than I thought due to how drained all that crying left me.

As I feel slumber taking me though, I see one final image. A memory. A pair of deep green eyes, and a happy little voice that says: "Elsa, you're my best friend. We'll always be together, right?"

However, that little memory is bittersweet for some reason, and I end up having a restless night of sleep because of it.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi again! Thanks for reading. I hope you liked this chapter, and if you did, please leave a review telling me your opinion about it, or theories or anything, really. I just like to read your comments :)**

 **Also, if you want to see some art I drew for this chapter, you should check my Deviant Art or Tumblr, Tania Hylian. I'd really appreciate it.**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

When I open my eyes the day after that awful nightmarish memory, I want nothing more than to go back to sleep. I feel like I barely managed to sleep a wink, so my body protests when I try to open my eyes, much less get up and start my day. Sleeping on a hard and cold block of ice did not help much either.

I wish I could just stay in my room all day, or maybe even for the rest of my life. I do not want to face the reality of what I saw in my dreams, or confront the horrible implications that the nightmare could represent. I want to stay here and pretend none of that happened, but… unfortunately, my stomach has other ideas.

At first I try to ignore the hunger, but it quickly becomes too much and, coupled with the fact I need to address my other bodily functions, I force myself to get out of bed. The first thing I notice is that the ice has thawed, which would be a good thing if it had not left a big puddle of water on the floor. The curtains and furniture are wet too, but apparently, my bed and a small area around it remained frozen.

I sigh, mad at myself for not having better control of my powers, and hope I did not ruin anything. I do not need another reason to feel bad about this whole incident.

I do my best to ignore the wet floor as I quickly rush to my closet and search for a dress. Fortunately, none of the clothing was affected by my outburst of last night, so I am able to choose the one that pleases me most; a simple yet elegant purple dress with silver embroidery. Right after I get dressed, I quickly walk out my room, only to find Kristoff at my door, waiting for me. He has dark circles under his eyes, which makes me feel guilty.

"Uhm… hi." He says after a pause.

"Hi." I answer with a raspy voice. Damn, I really need some water.

"How… how are you feeling?" He asks awkwardly.

"I'm okay now." I shrug, pretending to be fine, even if truthfully I am still a little shaken up from the nightmare. Just as I finish saying this, I start walking towards the dining room; I'm starving. Of course, Kristoff follows me.

"Good." He nods with a serious expression. "You did scare me when I woke up to freezing temperatures and ice covering half of the hallway."

"Wait… how far did my magic spread?" I ask, worried.

"The ice? Not much." He assures me. "Maybe ten feet or less; I only noticed because I sleep in the room across the hall." When I shoot him a surprised gaze, he just shrugs and says: "Anna's orders." Which does explain a lot, because after all, these rooms are for guests, not guards. Surprisingly, this knowledge doesn't upset me; after the attack, Anna probably didn't want to take any chances. It was a good thing too, because otherwise, I would not have woken up from my nightmare and who knows the havoc my powers could have caused.

"The cold was another story though." He adds then, pulling me out of my thoughts. "I had to calm down quite a few people and assure them no ice-wielder was attacking us."

"I-I'm sorry." I say apologetic, feeling bad that my stupid dream ended up affecting a bunch of people, including my protector. Who, for some reason, has been quite nice to me as of late; at least compared to how he treated me at first. I really don't want to cause him (or anyone, for that matter) any discomfort. The problem is, I can't really know if it will happen again.

"Don't worry. I know it wasn't your fault." He says without looking at me, still obviously trying to keep his up his cold and distant attitude towards me, but I can see it's just a mask. He doesn't feel as much disdain towards me as he projects on the outside. He doesn't fear me anymore. I notice it in the way he steals some glances at me as we walk, almost as if trying to make sure I'm as fine as I said I was. I see it in the way he doesn't have a permanent scowl on his face anymore whenever he's with me. So that's an improvement. I just hope, since he's Anna's closest friend, that in the future we can be friends too.

We stay silent until we arrive to the dining room. I enter while he remains outside the door, obviously already having had breakfast. I expect I will be eating breakfast alone, since it's already around midday, however, as soon as I open the door, I hear a familiar voice.

"Elsa!" Rapunzel says, standing up from the table where she'd been sitting while she talked to one of the servants, and running towards me before pulling me into a hug.

"Anna told me about the nightmare. Are you okay?" I'm startled for a moment, and so I don't hug her back, my arms hanging awkwardly at my side. Now that I think about it, this is the first time someone other than Anna has hugged me (at least that I remember), and it's… well, it feels nice, but also kind of makes me uncomfortable. Something that doesn't happen with the redheaded girl.

Still, I don't pull away, and force myself to answer her question.

"Uhm… yes. Yes, I'm fine now." I answer, wondering how much Anna told her. Thankfully, she quickly releases me and instead choses to look at me intently, as if trying to decipher if I'm lying to her or not. "Really, I… it probably wasn't as bad as Anna made it sound." At this, the princess chuckles and relaxes considerably.

"Yes, you're probably right." She answers as she starts pulling me towards the table. "She does have a tendency of exaggerating everything."

"Something that apparently runs on the family." I tease her as I take a seat next to her. "She told me yesterday that the time she escaped to the woods, she didn't cause a reindeer stampede, but just scared two of those animals, which eventually revealed her location to the guards that were searching for her."

"Hey! That's just what Kristoff told me happened, okay? He's the one to blame." She protests playfully, and I chuckle at her answer. At that moment, a servant enters carrying food for me, but not Rapunzel, who doesn't look surprised by this. She probably already had breakfast then, but… if so, what is she doing here? By her own? Where's Eugene?

"Uhm… I don't want to sound rude or anything but… why are you here?" I ask tentatively as I start to eat.

"Anna asked me to check on you." Is her natural answer. _Of_ _course_. I should have known. "She's pretty busy, but she didn't want you to have breakfast on your own, so she asked Eugene and me to take her place. Unfortunately, he said he absolutely needed to visit some place he had heard about, probably a bar full of thugs or something. So for today it's just the two of us." She explains with a happy smile.

"I see." I say smiling back, truly glad that she's willing to spend a whole day with me, but still wishing it was Anna instead. "Usually my days are pretty boring though, so I hope you have something planned for us to do."

"Actually I do." She answers with an impish smile before looking around to make sure we're alone and leaning in, lowering her voice so only I can hear her. "I trust you've noticed Anna's lack of… confidence in her skills as a ruler."

"Uh… yes?" I answer because I have no idea where she's going with this.

"And also that her subjects don't truly think of her as their Queen just yet." I nod at this, encouraging her to continue. "Well then, if you're up to it, I'd like you to help me make a plan to sort of solve these problems, and implement it tomorrow with Anna. What do you say?"

I think about it for a moment. This is an important decision because, well… I want to help Anna, and I sure know I owe it to her, but… I don't really know much about ruling a kingdom. At least that I remember. Sure, I gave her some good advice the other day, but it wasn't really something no one else could have told her, so…

"I don't really know much about being a good Queen." I answer shyly, looking at my plate.

"I'm not asking you to teach Anna how to rule." She chuckles, which actually makes me feel embarrassed for having thought otherwise. "No even _I_ could do that, and I'm a Princess." She continues, obviously not wanting to sound rude. "I want to help Anna improve her image. I've actually already asked Kristoff, Kai and Gerda for their opinions, and they have given me some very good insight."

"Then why do you need me?" I ask, because it sounds like she already has everything figured out.

"Because you are a Northerner, and as such your point of view in certain matters will surely be different and enlightening. Plus, you'll be staying here for a while longer, so you can keep an eye on her when I leave." She answers, and I can't help feeling disappointed. Is that really all she thinks I could be of use for?

" _However_ …" The princess continues, apparently having sensed my discomfort. "The most important reason for asking you for help is that you care about Anna, to the point you would do anything to help her. That and Anna appears to trust you to an almost ridiculous extent, and might be willing to actually _hear_ your suggestions and not just toss them aside." She pauses, shaking her head. "I don't know if you have noticed, but she can be stubborn to the point she won't listen to a thing anyone says. But with you her stubbornness is subdued, at least a little bit."

I take a few seconds to think about it. Rapunzel is right; Anna does have a tendency to ignore what others say and just do whatever she wants. And though that has been very beneficial to me thus far, maybe it's not such a great quality for a ruler to have. Sure, she shouldn't do everything everyone says, but it's good to listen to other points of view from time to time. I am afraid this will make Rapunzel's plan harder, but I'm willing to help in whatever way I can. I'll do it for Anna.

"Okay, I'll help you." I agree. "I want to be useful to Anna, and I think her stubbornness is something I can deal with." I say, trying to appear confident, even if a little voice inside me tells me this isn't going to be as easy as it looks. However, I mean, really, it can't be that hard to teach Anna the basics of how to treat her subjects, can it?

* * *

"You want me to _what_?!" Anna yells, and both Rapunzel and I cringe, not having expected such a reaction from the Queen. Sure, maybe a bit of opposition, but she looks pretty mad at us right now. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to approach the subject so directly.

"Anna, I know this is a little unconventional, but Elsa and I believe that…" Rapunzel starts explaining, but Anna interrupts her before she can finish.

"What? That I don't have any idea what I'm doing? That I need help from two girls my own age, one of whom lived as a peasant for most of her life, and the other that barely has any memory of her life at all?!" Anna continues yelling, and I have to admit that when she puts it like that, our proposal does sound offensive.

I sigh internally. I never wanted to make Anna angry, or hurt her. I just wanted to help! But… great, now it looks like I've ruined her breakfast.

"Anna, look, I know you're probably more prepared to be a Queen than me, but…"

"Enough!" Anna cuts her off again, raising her hand in a very authoritarian manner. "I know everybody thinks I'm an inept girl who doesn't have any idea of what she's doing, but I thought…" She looks down at her plate, her voice trembling when she practically whispers the next words. "I-I thought you were different." After saying this, she looks pointedly at me, and in her teal eyes I can see how betrayed she feels, how hurt she is because of the fact I helped her cousin with this stupid little plan, but… there's a reason I did that, and it's not what Anna is assuming. I feel the urge to explain myself.

"Anna, we don't doubt of your capacity to be a good ruler." I start, but the redhead only scoffs, obviously not believing me because of what I planned with Rapunzel. "We're just concerned that your subjects may not recognize how much work you are doing on their behalf. And because of that, most of them don't truly see you as their Queen, at least not yet."

"They will in time." Anna says dismissively, but I can see in her eyes she's also thought about this many times before, and unfortunately came to the conclusion that solving this problem is beyond her.

"And if they don't?" I ask, and at this, Anna bites her lip and deviates her gaze, obviously not having an answer to that. She and I both know this worries her more than she would want to admit.

"Why don't you at least hear out our suggestions?" Rapunzel presses gently. "If you absolutely hate them, then… okay, we won't touch the subject again. But if you at least want to try one of them, please know that we'll support you in every way possible."

Anna briefly looks at her cousin, with slightly furrowed eyebrows that make me think that she will tell us to mind our own business. Thankfully she looks at me and her expression softens in an almost imperceptible way before she sighs and leans against her chair in a tired manner, covering her eyes with the back of her right hand.

"Fine." She says exasperated. "Tell me your oh so brilliant ideas."

* * *

"I don't know how you made me agree to do this." Anna says, sitting on her throne with her crown on top of her head, and her hair combed in an elegant bun. Today she's dressed in a very elegant green dress with Arendelle's crocus embroidered on it's chest, along with multiple intricate patterns of gold and red. She is also wearing a cape and gloves of a darker green tone (both of which she absolutely hates, but agreed make her look more regal). She looks absolutely astounding, as always, but she also appears a lot more mature and serious than usual, and has a small but noticeable aura of authority around her. Although that may be because she's situated on the throne.

"This was the only suggestion you actually said was a good idea." Rapunzel reminded her. The princess was standing on her left side, her attire the same as usual except this time she was wearing shoes. I suspect she had not wanted to outshine Anna, and that's why she didn't put much effort in her own image.

I, on the other hand, am standing at Anna's right side and am wearing the best clothes I found in my new closet; a magenta dress, blue gloves and a brown wig. Yes, a _wig_. We do not want anyone freaking out because there is an ice-wielder at the palace. That just would not help Anna at all.

"Only because my father would also do something like this sometimes." Anna answers with a resigned tone of voice. "I honestly always thought it was a waste of time, but he said it helped improve his image."

"Exactly." Rapunzel nods. "And that's what we want to do with you."

"I know." She sighs.

"Your majesty." Kai, a bald man with a kind face, who is actually Gerda's husband, suddenly enters the throne room and addresses Anna. "The citizens are here. Would you want me to let them in?"

"Yes." Anna nods, trying to appear calm, but I notice how her shoulders suddenly tense and her fists clench. "One by one though."

"Of course." He makes a little courtesy and goes to the door, probably to fetch the first person who will have the honor of a short audience with the queen.

"Are you ready?" I ask as we watch him go.

"As ready as I can be." She replies with an anxious but determined expression, and all I can do is hope this will go well enough. She obviously cares about her people's opinions more than she dares to admit.

The first one to come in is a merchant named Oaken, or at least that is how Kai announces him. He is very… big. Like the size of a bear. Seriously, I am not exaggerating. However, he seems friendly enough, so I hope this will be easy.

"Queen Anna." He says with a court nod and a wide smile. And while yes, he addressed her by her title, as a commoner I think he should refer to her as 'Your Majesty', especially in the throne room. Unfortunately, since Anna doesn't say anything to correct him (but seems slightly uncomfortable nonetheless), I interrupt him before he can continue.

"Ahem." I cough a little to catch his attention, and once he's looking at me, I speak. "You must refer to her as 'Your Majesty', and bow when you greet her." I say with voice as serious and steady as I can manage, though internally I'm quite anxious; I am no one, after all, and so I have no right to reprimand him, but… I have to, if Anna won't.

"Oh." He looks at me, confused for a split second, before looking back to Anna, who at this moment looks equally confused. However, she quickly recovers, puts on a serious expression and nods to him, indicating I'm right. "I'm sorry… Your Majesty." At this, he bows as I had indicated him, before straightening up and addressing Anna once more. "First of all, thank you for receiving me. It's been a while since something like this was held at the castle, ya?"

"I've been rather busy, unfortunately." Anna says sheepishly. Obviously, Oaken is referring to the fact Anna hasn't really have much interaction with her subjects ever since she ascended to the throne, except for some occasional speeches. Anna preferred to let the functionaries solve day-to-day problems of her people while she worries about the bigger things, like trade agreements and relationships with other kingdoms. So, as she informed us earlier, there hasn't been a public audience with the monarch since her parents died.

"So…" She starts, notoriously uncomfortable because of the rather obvious unspoken question written in the merchant's face. "What brings you here today?"

"Oh, well, I've been having some supply and demand problems, and I was hoping you could help me." He explains, and at this both Anna and I raised an eyebrow. Supply and demand problems? Did he think that was something only the Queen could solve?

"What kind of problems?" Anna asks confused.

"Well, you see, most of my products are brought in from the northern villages, because they produce goods too expensive to manufacture this far south. However, as of late there has been some very strong snowstorms that disrupt the trade caravans, and in summer, no less. There have also been reports that people are using these snowstorms to sneak up on travelers and steal their goods." He explains.

"Thieves that steal during snowstorms, and in the northern territories?" Anna raises an eyebrow, unbelieving of what he just said. "No one would survive hiding on the side of the roads for hours waiting for someone to pass by if there's such a strong snowstorm."

"Except… Northerners?" He says hesitantly, and at this Anna adjusts her position on the throne, clearly uncomfortable for what he's suggesting. "They could be the ones causing the snowstorms too."

"No Northerner has escaped in years." She answers, but even to me she sounds a little unsure. More so considering we both know she's lying. I'm living proof of that.

"Yes, but since the Ice Queen appeared we can't be sure anymore, ya?"

"Uhm…" Anna hums, deep in thought, considering his words for a second before sighing and answering with a voice that makes it clear she doesn't quite like what she's going to say. "Alright. I'll have some soldiers stationed at the trading posts to guard the caravans. Hopefully, that will keep the Northerners, or thieves or whatever, from showing up."

"Ah, that's be perfect." He answers with a smile, satisfied with Anna's decision. "Thank you, Your Majesty." He finishes with a bow, and is about to retire when Anna stops him.

"Before you go, please inform Kai of the specifics, so we can discuss the details with the general."

"Yes, of course." He answers, bowing once again, before disappearing behind the door. As soon as he's out, however, Anna slumps down on her throne with a sigh, relaxing for a moment before turning to glare at me.

"What?" I ask, confused.

"Why did you tell him to call me 'Your Majesty'? Queen Anna is just fine for me."

"Anna…" I start, knowing it will be quite difficult to explain to the stubborn redhead without her getting mad at me. "It's just proper. Even _I_ , that don't have any memories, know that."

"But I know Oaken. My parents used to buy me candies from his post." She argues.

"And he called them by their names?" Rapunzel interferes, raising an eyebrow.

"Well…" Anna starts, but then bites her lip and looks down, obviously not wanting to admit we have a point.

"Look, Anna, we know you have a good relationship with your subjects, and that's great." I assure her. "However, you have to make them see you are the authority here, the reigning monarch. You're not a little kid with a fancy title anymore."

"I know, but it's just…" She sighs. "I don't want to be seen as distant and authoritarian. I want them to see that I'm approachable; that they can trust me, you know?"

"I understand what you're going through." Rapunzel answers. "That's also what I've wanted ever since I found out I'm the princess of Corona. However, there's a difference between being approachable and letting them forget you are their monarch."

"Exactly." I nod, completely agreeing with her. "Please Anna, just _try._ Make them see you're not just a great person, but the best Queen they could've asked for as well."

"Alright, alright." She answers, raising her hands up in surrender. "I did promise I would do this, so may as well try out your suggestions and see if they work."

* * *

Many hours pass, I'm not sure how many, just that my feet hurt and I desperately want to sit on the throne next to Anna. I don't do it only because I'm pretty sure that's a severe crime. To be fair though, I think the redhead is doing a fairly good job, and ever since Oaken came, Rapunzel and I have only given her a couple more of suggestions in regards to how she addresses her subjects and how she allows them to treat her.

Thankfully, every problem so far has had a not-so-difficult solution, and solving them relatively quickly has boosted Anna's confidence. More so, everyone seems to leave the palace satisfied with the Queen's answer, even if she does not always do what they ask for, and instead offers a better, or more realistic, alternative. I just hope everything goes peachy today, so she'll be in good mood to hear out some of our other suggestions.

"Your Majesty." Two men approach to the throne, bowing before the monarch. Thankfully, after correcting the first few people, everyone else seemed to get the message. Probably the others told them about this new-but-not-so-new rule.

"Hello, gentlemen. What can I do for you?" Anna asks, smiling confidently.

"We have a… _problem_ , your majesty." One of them (an old man with a grey beard and humble clothes) answers, looking at the other one with clear contempt.

"Oh?" Anna says, clearly curious because so far no one has come to her with personal problems, because obviously she can't help them with that. "What kind of problem?"

"Nothing you should worry about, really." The other one (a redheaded man, probably around forty years old) answers. "I didn't really want to come, but he insisted."

"It's his mine, your majesty." The old man says. "He just inherited some lands from his father and insisted on opening a mine, even after I told him not to." At his answer, Anna purses her lips.

"I don't see why what he does in _his_ land concerns you in any way." She answers, and though her words are a bit rude, she keeps her voice neutral enough, merely asking the man to explain himself.

"See? I told you!" The other man perks up. "Come on, let's go home before you make an even bigger fool out of yourself."

I don't know if I should judge him so quickly, but I really don't like this man's attitude. He's been uncomfortable and nervous about coming here since the beginning, so I'd say he really doesn't want Anna to know something. I think he must be the one at fault here, even if what the old man said would make one think otherwise.

"It's because I'm a farmer, your majesty. I have plantations of different crops, varying from wheat to barley and oats." He starts explaining. "And all my plants depend on water to survive. Fresh, _clean_ water. A mine would surely pollute the river that passes through my lands, and I wouldn't be able to grow any plants."

"I see…" Anna bites her lip nervously and frowns, clearly searching for a solution desperately, but this situation is very complex. On one hand, she can't really tell the man to close his mine; that would be unfair, since it's _his_ land, and he has the right to do whatever he pleases on it. However, if what he's doing affects someone else, she also can't just let him continue doing so without searching for an alternative. The problem is: what alternative could there be?

"I understand that water is essential to the mining process, correct?" Anna asks the red-haired man.

"Yes." He simply answers. "And the closest water-body is the river that passes through his terrains."

"But are there other water sources relatively near your lands?" She presses.

"Yes, but they are too far away. Bringing water from there to my mine would be very expensive and problematic."

"Okay…" Anna sighs, before turning to the old man. "I assume the same can be said about your land? The only available water source is that very same river?"

"Yes, your majesty." He replies with a nod. At this, Anna places her chin on her hand and adopts a thoughtful expression, probably trying to figure out a solution, but… I just don't think she has enough information to make a decision just yet. She doesn't have to solve everything today after all!

I mean, sure, one possibility would be telling the red-haired man to only mine in winter, since at that time of the year crops can't grow anyways, but I doubt he'd like that. Plus, he'd still be polluting the water, which could potentially affect the old man's plants, even if he stops mining during the warmer months. I think a full evaluation of the problem and its possible solutions by experts would be the best way to go about this.

"Well…" Anna starts, alternating her gaze between the two men. "I think…" She pauses, unsure, but then continues anyways. "That you…"

"Anna?" I interrupt her before she can make an uninformed, and probably bad, decision that would surely make her subjects doubt her even more. She looks at me questioningly and I rush to voice out my thoughts. "I really don't think you're able to make a decision on this matter yet; there are just too many things that have to be considered. I propose you send a group of experts to evaluate the case and report their findings back to you. _Then_ you can decide based on what they tell you."

"And just who are you to talk to the Queen like that?" The old man scolds me, and I realize that I addressed Anna rather casually; using solely her name as if I'm her equal or something, and all blood drains my face. I mean, sure, Anna may let me call her by her name in private, but in public must be a different story, right?

"It's alright." Anna says raising her hand to placate him, and I don't know if I should be relieved or mad at her. She mustn't let anyone call her by her name in public, not even me! I'm not part of her family, like Rapunzel, or even a noble. I'm just a peasant in other people's eyes.

I'm internally fretting over it, when Anna speaks again.

"It's alright." She repeats. "She's my… uh…" She hesitates for a second, looking at me with doubt painted clearly on her face. "My counselor. Of sorts." When that makes everyone raise an eyebrow, including me, because we all know no new counselors have been appointed recently, she elaborates. "She's… on probation right now, but she will be staying on in a permanent position if her advice proves to be useful."

Even though I know she's lying just to excuse my behavior (though it still hardly excuses me calling her by her name in front of them), I can't help hoping that maybe, just maybe, she's actually considering letting me stay. Forever. Whether as her counselor, or one of the servants, or whatever. If she offered me the opportunity to call this place my home, I'd agree in a second.

But then again, that could change once I regain all my memories. I mean, I know I'd still want to be with Anna in any way possible, but… what if I have a family? What about my friends? What about that girl I rescued and that I feel is important to me somehow? Would I just abandon them in the Northern Lands so I can be with Anna? That would surely be a tough decision, and I have no answer for it right now.

Oh well. I'll deal with that when it comes.

 _If_ it comes.

"I see…" The old man answers, still looking at me disapprovingly.

"And so far I think she's being quite helpful." Anna adds. "I'm actually going to use your suggestion, Elsa. I will send someone to evaluate the situation and see what can be done. Hopefully it will be an agreeable solution to the both of you. Until then, you" She points to the youngest man. "won't be using your mine."

"But your hi…"

"That's an order." Anna interrupts him, upset that he both tried to contradict her _and_ almost called her by her former title. Then, she addresses them both in a more composed manner. "This shouldn't take too long, so don't worry. Until then, dismissed."

They both bow, probably sensing that Anna won't be listening to another thing they say, and retire. Instantly, Anna gets up and stretches, addressing Kai, who is about to go out to fetch another person that wants to talk with the Queen.

"Wait, Kai." She says. "Please inform everyone I won't be seeing anyone else today, but that another audience will be held the next month and the next one after that. Until then, if they have an urgent problem, they may address the local authorities. No exceptions."

"Yes, your majesty." He says before going to do just that. Meanwhile, Anna starts walking towards the door that leads further inside the castle, and Rapunzel and I quickly follow her. As soon as the door closes behind her, all the tension on her shoulders vanishes and she lets out a happy sigh, turning around to smile at us.

"Well, that was exhausting, but turned out to be a good idea, so thank you."

"You almost looked like a real queen back there." Rapunzel teases her.

"Hey! I _am_ a real queen." Anna replies playfully, pretending to be offended.

"Not without your crown." The princess replies just before snatching said item off Anna's head and running down the hallway with it, laughing like crazy.

"Rapunzel! Give it back, or I swear I'm making you sleep in the stable!" Anna replies, running after her, in what she probably intends to be a threatening tone, but the giggles doesn't help much.

Smiling at their antics, I start following them to the dining room, which I soon realize is their destination. I have to admit I'm quite tired, but then again, Anna looked even _more_ tired when she decided to end the audience, and probably Rapunzel noticed too, which is why she decided to distract her of her worries and allow her to just be Anna for a moment, not the regal, adult queen she was all day. Because even if the huge responsibility of ruling a whole Kingdom rests on her shoulders, Anna is still a girl, barely nineteen years old, and should have the opportunity to act as such. I'm glad that she can do just that with Rapunzel.

And with me, but to a lesser extent. Probably because we haven't known each other for so long. It'll take some time, I suppose, but I'm confident she'll soon be as carefree and happy with me, especially after the Coronan couple returns to their kingdom.

Anyways, I should probably go to have dinner with them now, and congratulate Anna for the good job she did today. I suspect the days to come will be as busy and exhausting as this one, and in that case she'll need my full support.

* * *

 **A/N: So, that was chapter 10. I'm sorry for the delay, I just had lots of things to do and a huge writer's block. I hope you like it nonetheless and, if you did, please leave a review or fav/follow if you haven't.**

 **Thanks for reading and see you soon (well, maybe not so soon). Until then, bye :D**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

I was having a good dream. I don't exactly remember what it was about, just that it was good and… Anna was in it, I think. So that's why, when someone gently touches my shoulder, I just pull the covers over my head, hoping they'll desist of waking me up and I can return to my beautiful dream. A dream that unfortunately is already disappearing like fog on a warm, sunny morning.

"Elsa." The voice comes again, together with the shaking of my shoulder, but I only curl further under the covers, not having the slightest intention of getting up. "Elsa, come on, Anna needs you, like, _right now_."

At the mention of the redhead, my fuzzy mind starts to clear up, and the first thing I notice is that the one waking me up isn't Gerda, but Rapunzel. Then, I realize she said Anna needed me, and I force myself to open one eye and peak at her to confirm I heard right.

"Anna?" I ask, my half-asleep mind struggling to process the information.

"Yes, Anna. You remember, the _Queen_? And it's very rude to keep a Queen waiting, so I'd get up this very second if I were you." The princess answers. "Actually, it's rude to keep a princess waiting too, so if you're not up and ready in ten seconds, I'm going to hit you with a frying pan." She says, raising a threatening finger in my direction.

"Why a frying pan?" I ask, scrunching my eyebrows as I try to make sense of what she just said.

"Just do it." She answers with a tone that leaves no room for argument before exiting my room. For a moment I contemplate the possibility of just falling asleep once more, given my body still seems to yearn for more rest. But that desire is quickly beaten down by the desire to see Anna. That, and if she indeed needs me urgently, I can't really deny her my presence.

With great difficulty, I manage to drag myself out of bed and put on the dress Rapunzel left on my bed, which I notice is one of the more elegant dresses I have been given; the one with a teal bodice and skirt, and long black sleeves, together with a pair of teal gloves and… a brown wig. Great. I'm honestly starting to hate that wig. I wonder why I'll need it today.

Just when I've finished putting on my clothes and I'm in the process of brushing the wig, the door opens and Rapunzel walks in, apparently having gotten tired of waiting outside. And, without even waiting for me to acknowledge her, she grabs my hand and starts dragging me out of my room.

"Come on, there's no time!" She says.

"But the wig…" I start protesting, with the brush firmly clasped in one hand. I normally braid the wig as I'd do with my real hair, but right now it's barely brushed enough to be presentable. At least I managed to pull back the bangs and freeze them in place, so they won't fall on my face.

"You look decent enough, now let's go." She says as she keeps dragging me through the hallways of the castle. I soon notice that Kristoff is following close behind us, and I take a moment to wave at him before Rapunzel keeps taking me to Anna. Wherever she is.

"Will you explain me what's going on?" I ask.

"The council found out about you being Anna's "counselor", and they aren't exactly happy about it." Rapunzel says, frowning in concern. Her words send shivers down my spine. I don't really want to meet the council, what if they realize I'm a Northerner? I don't want to cause Anna any problems.

"But that's not official yet, right?" I say unsure. After all, if it's not official, then the council shouldn't worry about it.

"No, but they are upset she didn't consider one of them for the position, especially since they've been pressing her on the matter since she took the throne." She explains hurriedly.

"Great." I sigh, knowing they probably hate me already. After all, in their eyes I'm just a peasant girl with no experience at all that won't look after _their_ interests. Because of course they don't know that Anna never intended to have a counselor, and this whole thing is only a farce to keep me around a little while longer without anyone suspecting I'm a Northerner. I'm sure they'd be screaming for me to be executed if they ever found out that particular little secret.

"Now, no peasant can be appointed to the role of counselor." Rapunzel starts explaining. "So I agreed to lie and tell everyone you're a Coronan noble that's very close to my family and learned all about ruling a kingdom from my father. Hopefully that'll appease them."

"And exactly what title do I have?" I ask, weary of this whole farce. I hate lying.

"You're Baroness Elsa of the Hidden Valley. A very distant relative of mine."

"You think that will work?" I ask, wondering if there's actually a province in Corona called 'The Hidden Valley'.

"Yeah." She says, trying to appear optimistic, but I can see her smile is somewhat forced, a clear sign she isn't as sure as she'd like to be. However, before I have time to question her more about this plan, we come to a stop in front of a great double oak door.

Without even stopping to ask me if I'm ready, Rapunzel pushes the door open and we both walk into the room, only to find twelve pairs of eyes staring at us with surprise. There are ten old men dressed in elegant suits of different colors, most with funny looking beards or sideburns, who I assume must be the members of Arendelle's Council. Eugene is also present, wearing black clothes apparently made of fine silk, and has the most bored expression I've ever seen in my life. Anna is sitting on a tall golden chair with magenta cushions, and has her crown and cape on. Yet, she still looks rather small compared to the men in the room.

They are all seated around a circular oaken table, with Anna being at the opposite end of it from where I just entered, right in front of a triangular window. The sight of the light hitting her red locks and shining like a star through the blue gem on her tiara is a rather astounding one. I could spend the rest of the day contemplating it if I wasn't wondering if, by jumping out of the window, I could just avoid all this.

"Ah, Princess Rapunzel. You've finally arrived." A man with a long gray beard and a blue military uniform speaks. "Took you long enough to find her."

"My apologies, it wasn't easy to track her down with such short notice." Rapunzel says rather casually. "But anyways, here she is now: Baroness Elsa of the Hidden Valley."

I straighten up a bit, looking uncertainly at all their faces. I feel rather awkward as they stare at me intently, probably trying to find some kind of weakness or make me crumble under their pressure. But while internally I'm rather anxious, I'm determined not to give them the satisfaction. I'll show them I can be a better counselor for Anna than any of them, or anyone else, possibly could be.

"Uhm." I clear my throat to get rid of the awkwardness. "Good morning, gentlemen. I was informed you required my presence?" I speak in the most formal tone I can muster.

"Yes, please sit down, Elsa." Anna speaks, addressing me for the first time today, and signaling to the chair next to her. I do as she says, while Rapunzel quickly goes to sit down between her and Eugene. As soon as we take our places, the man who spoke before (apparently the most experienced in the council, or at least the one with the most power), addresses me.

"I presume Princess Rapunzel already informed you of the reason for our sudden meeting?" He asks, and I have to take a moment to calm down before responding, although under the table my legs feel like jelly.

"She has, actually." I answer with a composed and calm voice, completely the opposite of how I feel. But truth to be told, I only manage to do so because I fix my gaze on his bald head instead of his eyes. "And I understand your concerns. You probably think I have no more experience or knowledge of ruling a kingdom than Queen Anna has, and let me tell you something." I pause, carefully choosing my next words. "You're right; I don't."

Of course, after my statement, everyone looks at me in shock, mostly Anna, who's face is practically screaming: "What are you doing, Elsa?". However, I focus on keeping up my calm demeanor as I explain myself.

"No one, and I mean _no one_ , is more capable of ruling this kingdom than the current Queen. She was raised by the previous monarchs and instructed in every field of study she needed to learn in order to, one day, take the throne of Arendelle." At my words, some of the councilmen shift uncomfortably, no doubt realizing I'm implying they don't think a little girl like Anna is capable of ruling the kingdom on her own. However, they quickly cover their discomfort. "That said, Queen Anna has chosen me to help her, and I'm not going to refuse her." I pause, trying to calm my racing heart. Giving such long speeches always makes me nervous.

"I'm aware you probably think she needs someone with more experience than me." I continue. "And in other circumstances I'd probably agree. _However_ , I'm willing to bet she chose me for a reason; I'm an outsider, and therefore have no personal interests here in Arendelle. I'm neutral to most problems, and can think of possible solutions more objectively then most, without any of the biases that a citizen of Arendelle may or may not possess."

I look around, hoping I made a good impression with the council and that I appeared more confident than I really am. And judging by their faces… I'm not sure. I mean, some of them look impressed, obviously not having expected a 'little girl' like myself to speak like that and give some solid, reasonable arguments. Others, however, look rather unimpressed or are outright frowning at my words. I wonder how they'll answer what I practically threw in their faces.

"Yes." One of them, a brunet man in his mid-fifty's, says nodding in thought. "I understand that would be an important reason to choose a counselor, but I still think we should make sure you're competent enough before even letting you _try_ and apply for the post."

"Okay?" I say, a little unsure because I don't know if he's actually opposed to me being Anna's counselor or not.

"So, in my opinion it'd be wise to ask you some questions about possible issues that may come up if you serve as Anna's counselor. Depending on your answers, we'll either agree to let you continue in your current role for the moment, or suggest Queen Anna chooses someone more qualified. Does that sound acceptable to you?" He asks, looking at both Anna and I.

I turn to the Queen, who is looking questioningly at me, silently asking for my opinion. Even though I really don't want to be interrogated, I give her a firm nod of approval, knowing this is crucial in gaining the trust of her council.

"Okay, Aaron. Go ahead, I think it's a good idea." Anna answers for the both of us, receiving an approving nod from the members of her council before the same man (Aaron, I guess?) that spoke before turns to look at me again and shoots the first question.

"Imagine that one year the crops don't grow due to a drought, and a large portion of our livestock is dying off because of some plague, leading to widespread famine throughout Arendelle. How would you respond to that?" They all look at me expectantly, but I still take a few seconds to reply; this isn't an easy question, but thankfully my adrenaline-infused brain works faster than usual.

"Uh…" I start a little unsure, but then clear my throat and regain my composure. "I think in that case the best course of action would be to try and restore the production of food back to the usual level as quickly as possible, perhaps by reassigning a portion of the Royal Navy as fishing vessels or increasing hunting of wild animals. At the same time, quarantine or kill any animal that shows even the faintest signs of plague, to help slow or stop the spread of the disease. Finally, explore alternative options for getting water to the crops, to prevent an issue like this from happening again."

"Yes, but don't you think that'd take some time? Remember that while all of that is being investigated and solved, people are dying from hunger." He questions further, and though I'd like to say he's just trying to make me look bad because of my answer, I have to admit he's right. Still, I don't let this discourage me.

"Well, then while all of the investigations are being taken care of, I'd negotiate with one of the other kingdoms that has surplus food production; offer them something Arendelle has an excess of in exchange for food." At this, he nods before continuing with another question, though I don't know if he approved of my answer or not.

"Now, let's say a kingdom declares war on Arendelle. What would you do?"

"Well, first I'd try negotiating with them to avoid going to war in the first place." I answer without hesitation. Wars are never a good thing.

"And if they won't negotiate?" He questions further.

 _Then I'd crush them with my powers_. _Wait, no I can't say that. Think Elsa, think._

"In that case I'd ask help from our allies and mobilize the army. The priority would be to prevent an invasion, but if they have already breached our borders then we would focus our efforts on protecting both the citizens and Queen Anna, so maybe the best defense would be through sea." I make a little pause, remembering what I read at the many books in the castle's library, before continuing based on that information. "After all, they can't get here though the southern border undetected because Corona is our ally, and the northern and eastern borders are surrounded by tall mountains that are quite difficult to navigate, so a surprise attack from that direction seems unlikely. Plus, Arendelle's fleet is one of the strongest in the world, so at the very least it would be able to slow the invaders and buy us time to come up with a more comprehensive plan."

"That's very true." He nods solemnly, and I have to consciously suppress a triumphant smile, but I see Anna doesn't even try to hide it. "I think your answers have been quite satisfactory for someone who's never led a kingdom before, but there's still a couple more questions I'd like to ask in order to be sure."

"Go ahead." I encourage him, now a little more confident in my abilities, even if I'm still quite nervous.

"You must know by now that the Northerners have been a big problem for our kingdom since about thirty years ago, and more recently the Ice Queen has become a mayor concern. What would you advise we do about that?"

I pause, clenching my hands under the table. This isn't a matter I can really stay neutral on, since I'm myself a Northerner and I've seen with my own eyes (even if only in two memories so far) how cruel the Arendellians can be to us. Plus, I don't know much about the Ice Queen, just that everyone thinks she's evil or something, but she still hasn't done anything to attack Arendelle. However, I still try to keep my cool and answer as evenly as possible.

"I'd say, as long as neither the Ice Queen, nor the Northerners attack Arendelle, we should leave them alone." I say with a firm voice.

"But don't you agree they're a potential threat?" He asks again. "Arendelle had them under control until a few years ago, and even then there were some escapes and attacks that we were only able to handle thanks to the constant supervision of Arendelle's army. Don't you think it's quite a risk to let them have their own Queen, their own rules, and control the Northern Lands' frontier with Arendelle?"

I feel my blood boil at the mention of Arendelle's army, and I see flashes of the memories I've recovered so far play inside my head, agitating my powers to the point I feel I'm about to lose control. However, I take a few deep breaths and count to ten in my head, hoping my emotions don't show on my face. Then, I answer.

"I understand your concerns." I start cautiously. "However I believe violence only leads to more violence. To try and control the Northerners using the army would surely give them the wrong impression; our actions could be perceived as a threat, thus prompting them to fiercely retaliate." I pause. "However, if we wait for them to make the first move, that is _if_ they ever do the first move, we could then attempt to negotiate with them and eventually come to a peace agreement. If they remain hostile, _then_ we should use the army to repel their attack. Otherwise we'd be endangering the lives of loyal soldiers and innocent citizens unnecessarily."

Silence reins for a few seconds as they process my words, probably because they haven't heard an opinion that wasn't along the lines of "Northerners are evil, let's kill them all" in quite some time. Anna looks mostly impressed, since this is something she'd obviously been thinking about but had never had the courage to express with her council. Unfortunately, many of the members have scowls on their faces, probably because they fear or hate ice-wielders, and would prefer to keep them under strict control, just like the former King Agdar had done. Others just have expressions of mild curiosity; no doubt thinking my different approach on the matter must be because I'm from Corona and have none of the usual Arendellian prejudices. The rest have neutral faces, and I can't read them very well, so I don't know what they might be thinking. I just hope my answer was good enough; the anxiety is already making the ice in my veins agitate dangerously.

"A rather neutral answer, as I expected." The one who questioned me says, but he's one of the unreadable ones, so I can't tell if he means it as if it's a good or a bad thing. "Now, for my next and last question… I don't know if Queen Anna informed you about the escaped Northerner she's letting stay in the palace?" He shoots me a questioning look and I rush to answer, but it comes out nervously because for a moment I fear they might have discovered me.

"Uhm… well… she's mentioned something about it a couple of times."

"So what's your opinion on the matter? Do you think she should allow this to continue? Even if it goes against the law imposed by her father?" He now says the last question, and I force myself to answer as vaguely and neutrally as possible, so it's not obvious how much I'm actually involved in the matter.

"I think we should trust Queen Anna's judgement." I start, knowing they can't actively contradict that statement without offending the Queen. "She says this Northerner isn't a threat and, until proven wrong, I'll chose to believe her. Besides, this could be a good opportunity to learn more about them." I pause, preparing myself for what I'm about to say. "However, I'd advise to keep a strict watch on this ice-wielder so we can be prepared if they ever step out of line." I'm left with a bad taste in my mouth after I say this, since I'm speaking about myself, but I know it's crucial I appear to be as weary of the ice-wielders as any average person would be.

"Well, I'd say that's an unpopular opinion, but seeing that we can't really convince Queen Anna to just get rid of this Northerner, to whom she gave shelter against our will…" He shoots Anna an accusatory glance, and she shrinks a little in her chair. I make a mental note to remind her she has more power than all of the men in this room combined; she shouldn't act as a scolded child every time they disagree with her. "I think it'd be good to have someone who doesn't completely hate the idea, but is more cautious about it than our Queen."

I sigh in relief, glad that my answer was somewhat correct, and hope this will all be over soon.

As I expected, some other councilman starts talking immediately, expressing additional concerns about my appointment, but this time Rapunzel answers and I can relax. I wonder how long it'll take until we can get out of here. I hope it's soon, because I could really use another pair of gloves; the ones I have right now are now completely covered in frost on the inside.

* * *

As soon as we're able to retire, after almost another hour of answering the council's endless questions and trying to convince them I'm good enough to be Anna's counselor, they finally decide to let me formally apply for the position. I was given a period of probation before they give Anna their final opinion on the matter, which I guess is the best answer we could have gotten out of them. Then we finally leave, all of us sighing in relief at being released. I would love nothing more than to go to my room and relax for the rest of the day, however, Rapunzel halted my plan by stopping me and talking as soon as the councilmen were out of earshot.

"Wait, Elsa. I wanted to talk to you." She says, almost urgently, and for a moment I wonder if I did something wrong.

"Is something the matter?" I ask unsurely.

"Not really, just… there's something I think we need to discuss. All of us." She says, looking at me, then at Anna and Eugene. "You should come to my room so we can have a modicum of privacy."

"Uh… can I come too?" Kristoff asks. "I mean, I am Elsa's guard after all."

"Sure, but only if you promise not to tell anyone about what we're going to say." The princess answers.

"Promised." He says without hesitation, to which Rapunzel smiles before starting to walk down the hall.

"Okay then, follow me." She calls, and I look at Anna with a questioning expression, but she just shrugs and starts walking behind her cousin, so I decide to do the same, the two men following behind us.

It's not long until we get to Rapunzel's room, and when we enter I realize it's not that different from my own, just a tad bigger and with the walls painted with intricate patterns. The triangular window is also bigger, and next to it there's a rounded table with four chairs. A maid promptly enters the room and asks Rapunzel if she needs something, to which she responds by asking for tea, and when the maid leaves, she invites us to sit at the table. She waits for the girl to return with the tea before ushering her away and locking the door, grabbing another chair as she walks towards the table.

Finally, after all that mysterious attitude, she comes to join us at the table, but then starts sipping her tea without saying anything. It's rather weird and awkward, and the mystery is killing me, but I decide to wait until she wants to talk so I don't seem impatient.

"Ah, I really love this tea." Is what Rapunzel says when she finally speaks.

"You didn't bring us here to talk about tea, did you?" Eugene asks raising an eyebrow.

"No." She giggles. "Sorry about that. I just thought you would be hungry after that meeting with the council. Want a cookie?" She says, pointing to the chocolate chip cookies sitting on a plate at the center of the table.

"I do." Kristoff says as he eagerly reaches out for one. I don't say anything, but take one too; after all, I didn't have any breakfast. Anna and Eugene also help themselves, and the princess waits until we're finished eating before speaking once again.

"I understand my sudden urge to talk to you is quite, well… _sudden_. However, I think it's important for us to address the issue of Elsa's true identity." She starts and I raise an eyebrow. She wants to talk about who I am? But not even _I_ know that yet.

"But we still don't have any clue of who she was before she came here, except that she's a Northerner." Anna protests.

"Oh, please Anna, I think you're smart enough to have noticed the same possibility as I did." Rapunzel answers rolling her eyes, but Anna just pouts and waits for her to say it out loud. I think I have an idea of what the princess is implying, but I honestly prefer to wait for her to say it as well.

"Elsa is the Ice Queen" Eugene voices what we all were thinking, but he said it so casually it actually angers me a little; nothing is certain after all!

"Well… I wouldn't bet my life on it, but I believe it's a very real possibility." Rapunzel says more diplomatically. "After all, she obviously has _some_ experience in making big decisions of state and dealing with complex affairs. It could also be that she was the Ice Queen's daughter, or her assistant or even a member of her council if she has one."

"Or maybe she just has a talent with words and has been reading in the library a little too much lately." Anna contradicts her stubbornly.

"But remember that her powers are also stronger than those of average ice-wielders." Kristoff interferes. "She did break a pair of ice-proof shackles when she was kidnapped."

We all stay silent after that. I don't dare saying a thing because I find it weird that they are talking about me as if I wasn't here. But I am glad that they trust me enough to include me in this discussion.

"What do you think, Elsa?" Eugene breaks the silence, looking at me with a thoughtful expression.

"Uh…" I pause, not really knowing what to say, after all I've had my suspicions too, but I don't want them to take it like confirmation. "I don't really know much about this Ice Queen, so it's difficult to have a clear opinion."

"Oh! That's right. We haven't talked about her at all, have we?" Anna exclaims before face palming herself. "I'm stupid. This is such an important matter! We should have discussed it sooner."

"Hey, calm down." I say. "You are not stupid, and it's not as if I had been curious enough to ask you about it either."

"You should tell her the whole story." Rapunzel interferes. "Including the rumors, so she has a better idea of what we're talking about."

"Yes, you're right." Anna agrees before humming as she puts a finger on her chin, thinking. "Let me see… well, the first major thing that happened, that some say had something to do with the Ice Queen, was The Northern Lands' liberation from Arendelle's control about six years ago."

"Liberation?" I raise an eyebrow, finding it hard to believe based on what I saw in my dreams. However, Anna nods.

"Yes, you see, one day the ice-wielders rebelled against the Arendellian soldiers. No one really knows why or how that happened, but most agree it was something they'd been planning for quite some time, and were only waiting for the perfect opportunity to act." She pauses, biting her lip before looking down at her tea in a sad manner. "Most of the soldiers stationed there died, but the few who were able to survive and make it back to Arendelle agree it was a woman with ice powers who started it all."

"I see…" I answer, now having too many questions on my head. "But why didn't they attack Arendelle?"

"No one knows for sure." She shrugs.

"And who was that woman?" I ask another question.

"Some say it was the Ice Queen, because the Ice Palace was built soon after. But no one is sure, since many people were seen entering that palace, ice-wielders or otherwise, and due to its strategic location it could serve as a fortress in case we decided to attack, more than as home for some self-appointed monarch; it's too far from the main villages."

"Okay…" I answer unsure, remembering that time when I remembered making the ice palace. Just another proof I could be the Ice Queen. Maybe I liberated my people from Arendelle's oppression and then they named me Queen… and then I turned evil somehow and froze the entirety of the Northern Lands.

I feel a shiver run down my spine.

"Anyways, after all that happened, my father sent a large detachment of troops to try and take back control, but they never even made it past the border wall, now frozen and covered in dangerous ice spikes." Anna continues. "Then he kind of gave up, since he didn't want to sacrifice the lives of so many soldiers in vain, but he still kept some guards around the perimeter to prevent any escapes."

"Alright, but going by what you say, it looks like the Ice Queen appeared in that moment, and not only a year ago like you told me." I argue, confused by all of this.

"Well… yeah." Anna scrunches her eyebrows. "It's a little confusing to me too, actually. What happens is that back then no one talked about an 'Ice Queen' _per se_ , just of the barbarian ice-wielders that killed so many soldiers. However, one year ago, the snowstorm you saw at the Northern Lands started, and the rumors about an evil Queen began to circulate." She sighs. "It didn't help either that this event coincided with my parents' death."

"So you think that whoever is the Ice Queen liberated the Northerners, then built an ice palace, caused a snowstorm that has lasted one year so far and somehow killed your parents." I summarize, feeling somewhat offended that they thought I could do all that, but still knowing it is a very real possibility.

"Yeah… pretty much." She grimaces, apparently thinking the same as me.

"It's not something I would think I'm capable of." I answer honestly. "Even in my memories the most predominant thing I experience is fear, not anger, hate or thirsting for destruction." I continue explaining before sighing, knowing I have to be open to all possibilities. "But if I _were_ the Ice Queen… I'd probably ask for forgiveness over and over, if not for liberating the Northern Lands, at least for killing your parents, and I'd try to change for good."

"And I'd forgive you." Anna says with a little smile. "Because I know that apology would be sincere."

We stare at each other for a moment. Anna is looking at me with a happy, but at the same time sad gaze. I don't know how to explain it; it's too weird. It feels like she already forgave me even if we don't know yet if I'm the Ice Queen, but a part of her still resents her parents' death, though that resentment isn't exactly directed at me. Still, I shoot her a thankful look, because it is very touching she'd be willing to forgive me if I had killed her parents.

"But I guess we'll have to wait till Elsa regains her memories to know for sure if she's the Ice Queen or not." Eugene muses out loud. "In the meantime, we can only profit off of her skills."

"You could even make her a real counselor." Rapunzel suggests happily. "I mean, she certainly is qualified."

"She is." Anna agrees smiling at me before glancing at the clock hanging on one wall, her expression turning into a grimace. "Ugh. I'm sorry, I have a meeting with an ambassador from Weaselton right now."

"Weselton." Kristoff corrects her rolling his eyes.

"Whatever." Anna dismisses it as she gets up from her chair. "I'm sorry, I gotta go. Thanks for the tea, Punz." And with that she's gone.

I, of course, decide to stay a little longer with the pair of royals, but only to be nice. Truth to be told, I'd like to be alone right now. That conversation about the Ice Queen left a bad taste in my mouth.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi! I hope you liked this chapter, even if not much happened XP. But it was important for the plot so… please leave a review/favorite/follow if you're enjoying the story so far; it really motivates me to write more :)**

 **Thank you for reading, and see you soon :D**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

 _I'm sitting at the top of a hill, overlooking the center of town. I come here whenever I feel stressed or overwhelmed, or when I want to be alone, which is most of the time. From here I can not only see the town and its inhabitants, which look small like ants at this height, but also the wall and… beyond._

 _Arendelle. Our enemy. Our oppressor. Our torturer… and yet, I can't bring myself to hate the kingdom, or resent its people. They have their reasons to fear us._ Good _reasons._

 _I look guiltily at the center of town, where the whipping pole once was. A gruesome collection of red icicles and dead bodies mingle in a large pool of blood. My work. I did this. I killed them. I couldn't control my powers. I'm a monster._

" _Hey. Are you okay?" A voice pulls me out of my thoughts, making me look up, only to realize some icicles are starting to appear around me. Sighing disappointedly at myself, I wave a hand and make them crumble into harmless snow; I'd like to thaw them, but I can't in my current mental state._

 _Once that's taken care of, I look to the person who spoke to me, only to find two pairs of green eyes. They are the brother and sister from yesterday, but how did they find me?_

" _Impressive." The boy says, smiling widely, although his eyes express sadness more than anything. "You are very powerful, aren't you?"_

" _Maybe." I shrug, not wanting to talk about it. "But I can't control my powers. You saw what happened last night."_

" _They deserved it." He says, his eyes darkening as he looks towards the bloody scene at the center of town. I'm about to disagree with him, but then I realize he must be angry at his mother's death. Truth to be told, if someone killed my mom I'd probably say that they deserve to die too._

" _I'm sorry about your mom." I say as I tightly hug my legs and look down at the snow in a vain attempt to stop thinking about the now dead woman. "I should have saved her."_

" _You did what you could." He says, and although he seems sincere, there's still a lot of pain in his voice. "Really, I…_ we _don't blame you for what happened. We actually came here to say thank you."_

 _I look at him, confused for a moment. They came to thank me? Even knowing full well that I could have saved their mother and didn't? Even after I killed every single Arendellian soldier, which surely will have severe consequences for all of us? Even when, in my attempt to save them, I inadvertently hurt them with my powers? No. They shouldn't thank me. They should fear me and detest me. Everyone should._

" _Thank you for saving us." He says, bowing low before me. His sister does the same, but she doesn't speak. I bet she's very shy. "I'm Hans, by the way." He says, straightening up and extending his hand towards me, but I just eye it without taking it, afraid I'll hurt him; he's not an ice-wielder after all. This, however, doesn't seem to bother him because he keeps his smile in place as he then puts an arm over his sister's shoulders. "And this is my little sister, Helen." Helen just waves at me and gives me a shy little smile, which I promptly return, not wanting to appear rude._

" _It's a pleasure." I say politely. "I'm Elsa."_

" _That's a very pretty name." He says, smiling. "Very Arendellian."_

" _I guess." I shrug, not wanting to be reminded of my old home._

 _A few seconds of awkward silence follow, and in other circumstances, I'd probably say something to dispel it, but right now I want to be alone. Hopefully they'll get the message._

" _Anyways." He sighs. "I promised Bulda I'd help her get some wood. See you later." He waves goodbye at me as he takes his sister's hand and starts walking down hill, however, she pulls away before they can take even three steps._

" _Do you want to stay?" He asks confused, and she nods enthusiastically. He then sighs and looks at me with an apologetic gaze. "I'm sorry, but… do you mind if my sister stays with you for a while?"_

" _I-I…" I pause, knowing I should say no. I'm dangerous, and should never be near non-ice-wielders like them. But I'm also selfish, and I haven't had a female friend for a long time, and she looks nice enough. Unsurprisingly, my selfish part wins. "Yeah. Sure." I finally say as I smile at Helen._

 _The girl promptly smiles and comes to sit next to me, a little too close for my taste actually, but I don't complain. I want to give her a good impression._

" _Stay with Elsa, okay? Don't wander off." Hans instructs her, to which she answers with an enthusiastic nod that makes him chuckle. "Alright. See you at dinner." He smiles at us before walking away, down the hill._

 _We both stay quiet for a while, just watching the town below us; the wooden houses that are far too fragile for this harsh environment, the unorganized, filthy streets, the people taking what they can from the soldiers' cabin's now that they're dead… it's not exactly a pretty sight, but this is my home now, and I can't really complain about it. In certain aspects, it's actually better than the place where I lived before._

" _Is Bulda… your mom?" Helen breaks the silence with a voice so soft and small I'm sure I wouldn't have heard her if we weren't alone here._

 _I turn to look at her, only to see her gaze is glued to the bloody scene at the center of the town… where her mother's corpse was just hours ago, before they took her to bury her. Of course she's asking about my mom; she's surely been thinking about hers since last night._

" _No." I force myself to answer, even if my voice sounds a little strangled because of the knot that formed in my throat at the thought of the woman I couldn't save._

" _Oh." Helen blinks, confused. "Is she here?"_

 _At her question, I have to wonder if she's asking if my mother is a Northerner or if she's alive. I decide to answer both._

" _No." I shake my head. "She lives there." I point to said direction, and Helen follows my finger with her eyes until she finds the place. "Arendelle." I breathe out with both melancholy and resentment; I have some good memories of that place, but I still don't know if I'd choose to go back if given the chance._

" _She didn't come with you." She says, but it's not a question; it's a statement. She sounds like she's pitying me, and I don't like that._

" _She wasn't given the option." I defend her, tightly hugging my knees as if that'll keep the doubts from entering my head, even though I'm not entirely certain that I'm saying the truth. It's just something I've been telling myself in order to feel less lonely._

" _She will come for me, I'm sure." I say, but I don't know who I'm trying to convince of this, Helen of myself. "She never liked how ice-wielders are treated."_

" _What's her name?" Helen then asks after a long pause, and I'm grateful she didn't question what I just said. Maybe she understands that, no matter how unrealistic my fantasies are, they are necessary for me to keep going._

" _Her name…" I take a deep breath before pronouncing it for the first time in years. "Her name is…"_

* * *

"Elsa! Elsa, wake up!" I open my eyes to find Rapunzel shaking me awake with an enthusiastic and happy face. Why is she here? Waking me up? _Again_. I hope she doesn't make a habit out of this.

I glare at her, upset that she woke me up before I could recover that entire memory, but she just keeps smiling before she speaks again.

"Did you forget what day is it today?" She asks playfully. I try to remember what she's talking about, but before I can do that, someone opens the curtain of the window behind me and I have to hide under my covers to protect my poor eyes from the light.

"Come on, dear, it's best if you don't make the princess wait." I hear Gerda's voice behind me. So she was the one who opened the curtain. I lower the covers just enough to glare at her. "Come on." She says unimpressed. "Drink your tea and get ready; the princess has some big plans for you today." And with that, she goes to pick out my clothes.

Sighing, but giving up on the idea of spending more time in my bed now that I've seen the magical tea, I sit down and take the cup before starting to drink slowly. My headaches have diminished considerably lately, to the point I can go a full day without taking the tea, but it doesn't hurt to have a little help dealing with them.

"So… have you remembered what we're doing today?" Rapunzel says in a teasing tone. I pause, thinking about what she said to me a couple of days ago, before answering.

"Ah, yes." I sigh. "You want to buy me a dress for tonight's ball."

Yes, there's a ball tonight at the palace, and since I'm pretending to be a noble from Corona, I'm invited. Even if I don't know how to dance and I really don't want the other nobles to realize I'm actually a peasant in disguise. But it'd be rude for me not to attend to "my own princess's" goodbye ball.

Rapunzel and Eugene are leaving tomorrow, which was announced a month ago, though I only found out about it like a week ago. They were having their doubts because they wanted to be sure I was on good terms with Anna's council before leaving, but no one has given me trouble so far, so Anna and I were able to convince them not to alter their plans for me. They still said they'd visit again soon though.

Now there's the issue of what I'll wear tonight. It's not like I don't have dresses; there's more than a dozen in my wardrobe, and at least two of them are fancy enough for me to wear in the ball, but Rapunzel insisted I need a new one, though I think she just wants to go shopping.

It may be a good thing though; I've never been to the town before, and I'd really like to explore it a bit.

"Hurry up then, I'll be waiting for you at the main entrance." Rapunzel says before getting out and skipping towards her destination. I shake my head at her antics and hurry to finish my tea; I bet the princess would make me regret it if I make her wait.

* * *

I come to a stop at the main entrance of the palace, having expected to find the princess standing next to a carriage, or at least a horse, but… no, she's just there alone. She surely doesn't want to explore the whole town in search of a dress _on foot_ , right? Well, knowing Rapunzel, that wouldn't really surprise me.

"Hey, Elsa!" She exclaims when she sees me, waving at me and sporting the widest smile I've ever seen.

"Hi." I say. "Where's the carriage?" At this, the princess giggles.

"Look at you, just a few months living amongst royals and you can't go anywhere without a carriage and a couple of guards." She teases, and I can't help blushing at her comment.

"That's not true!" I try to defend myself. "I just thought it'd be easier and less tiring to search for a dress if we go by carriage."

"I already know where the best stores are; we won't have to walk too much." She shrugs. " _And_ this will give us an opportunity to meet people and get to know better the town."

"I guess you're right." I sigh, agreeing with her; after all, that's what I wanted, right? "Let's go then."

"You just love making my job more difficult, don't you?" Kristoff protests (yes, he's coming with us, together with Rapunzel's guard).

"Oh, come on, just shut up and start walking." Rapunzel says punching him playfully and then starts leading the way.

And so we get out of the palace and into the stone bridge that connects it with the town. It's actually very beautiful, since from here we can see the deep blue fjord, and the ships docking in port, together with the smaller craft belonging to local fishermen. I smile and sigh in content as I feel the breeze coming from the sea caressing my skin and hear the seagulls scream in the distance. It's nice being out of the palace for a change. I think I'll have to do it more often.

I see some children playing in the distance, I see the people walking towards the market, or the ports, talking to each other, smiling, working, acknowledging us with either a courtesy or a bow as we pass… I don't know why, but it all fills me with a sense of nostalgia. Just not exactly for this place.

An image appears briefly on my mind, and I see a town very similar to this one, except the ground is covered in snow, the houses and roads are made out of ice and most people have light-colored hair. There also aren't any carriages, and only a couple of people have horses.

The Northern Lands. My home.

Suddenly, I feel a little homesick. That town I saw… I feel like I belong there. I know I lived there for a long time, even if it's somehow different from the town I saw in my memories. It doesn't have a whipping pole to begin with. And the houses are made of ice, instead of wood. And the people look healthy and happy. It actually looks like a place where I'd like to live.

Maybe it's the Northern Lands after their liberation from Arendelle?

"Elsa?" Rapunzel pulls me out of my thoughts, and I realize we've come to a stop in front of a store.

"Y-yeah?" I ask, hoping she didn't notice I was lost in yet another memory. She looks at me intently, her gaze suspicious, but doesn't comment on my lack of attention.

"I was asking what kind of dresses you like." She repeats.

"I don't know." I shrug. "The normal kind? But elegant enough to attend the ball, I guess."

"Normal, huh?" She asks, eying my dress. It's not very ornate, and the skirt isn't too wide (like some I've seen). The sleeves are also long and the neck is high. "Well… I guess you go for a more conservative style. We won't find that here, so maybe we should try at the others first and come back if we don't find anything." I eye at the store we're currently standing outside of, and see many bright-colored dresses with very wide skirts, exaggerated cleavage and short sleeves. I shudder imagining myself in one of those.

"Yes, I think that would be the best." I promptly agree.

"Great. There's another one near here, come on." The princess says with a bright smile and starts leading me through the streets.

As we walk to our next destination, Rapunzel starts rambling about how one of the best aspects of having gotten out of her tower is that she gets to choose her own dresses, instead of waiting for mother Gothel to buy her one. I only partially pay attention to her though; as I see so many people around us, I start to wonder if one of them is my mother.

With the memory I recovered last night, I came to the realization that I wasn't born in the Northern Lands, as Rapunzel had suggested, but in Arendelle. I'm an exile, which comes with more implications then I'm ready to face right now, but also means my mother lived here in Arendelle. Maybe she's here, in this town. Maybe she's waiting for me.

I mean, in my dream I felt like I missed her very much, and thought she'd be willing to rescue me from the Northern Lands, so I bet she loved me as much as I did her. But in that case… what would she do if she saw me again? Would she be happy? Would she even recognize me?… Would _I_ even recognize her? I mean, it's not like I remember her name, much less her face. Even if I want to find her… how could I do that without a clue of who she is?

But anyways… I'll remember her in time, I suppose. There's no point on worrying about it right now. I should enjoy this little outing with Rapunzel, since she's leaving tomorrow and I probably won't see her in a few months.

And so, I forcefully remove those thoughts from my head and concentrate on the present instead, which turns out to be a good thing. Rapunzel and I end up having so much fun! We go to a chocolate store after I don't find any dress I like in the first clothing store, and we end up with a tummy ache after eating half of the chocolates we bought in one sitting, so we give the rest to some kids that smile happily at us and thank us profusely before running off with the sweets.

We also go to the port, and I have fun seeing Rapunzel get frightened when she tries to touch a fish that was on a bucket next to one of the fishing boats, only for it to start moving, making her jump and fall on her butt. Of course, then she splashed me with the fjord's cold water because I laughed at her. Still, I couldn't stop laughing.

And the act of searching a dress was, in itself, quite the experience too, especially with Rapunzel making exaggerated movements and talking in a very bad french accent as she shows off the fanciest dresses. At first I just watched her, being too shy to do the same in front of the shop owners, but by the time we visited the third store I had loosened up a bit and also started to do the same, though I don't think I got it as well as the princess; she's naturally funny, while I struggle a bit with it.

Still, after we've visited six clothing stores and still haven't found anything, I'm about ready to give up and go back to the palace, not to mention it's getting very late and we have to get back at least two hours before the ball starts, so we can get ready. So at the end, we return to the store with overly elaborate dresses not expecting to find anything good, but still willing to give it a try before making our way to the palace.

When we enter the shop, an elderly woman wearing a little too much makeup for my taste and dressed like she's going to attend a party greets us enthusiastically, and after Rapunzel tells her we're looking for a dress for me to wear at tonight's ball, she quickly takes her to see her whole collection of dresses.

I'm content to be left behind though; just seeing the few dresses that are on display gives me an idea of what that woman is going to show the princess. And so I start strolling around the shop, looking at the dresses without really looking at them, wondering if there's someone that actually buys them, and mentally critiquing them in my mind just to keep myself from worrying about the ball.

I mean, it's a huge event, full of nobles and other influential people, both from Arendelle and other kingdoms, and I really want to make a good impression. The problem is… I don't really know _how_. Yes, I may have impressed Anna's council, but it's not the same. They aren't going to evaluate my abilities to run a kingdom; they're probably going to interrogate me about my past, my family, my heritage… and they're going to gossip about it for days. And of course I can't just hide in a corner and wait for it to be over, like I want to. I bet I'm expected to dance.

Ugh, I'm looking less and less forward to this ball.

"Are you alright, young lady?" A woman pulls me out of my thoughts. I stop my pacing to look at her. She's about the age of the shop keeper, but is dressed in a less sophisticated way, though still comes across as very elegant, and isn't wearing as much makeup. She's siting on a chair between two dresses, and is apparently fixing another one.

"Uh… yeah." I say hesitantly. "I'm fine."

"You came looking for a dress for tonight's ball, right?" She asks, and I answer with a nod. "Is it your first ball?"

"You could say so." I say, trying to appear nonchalant, but I'm actually so worried about it, my hands can't seem to stay still, and instead end up playing with my braid.

"Don't worry dear, it's not as scary as it sounds." She chuckles in an attempt to calm me down. "I remember when former Queen Idunn came here looking for a dress to wear at her coronation ball." She starts telling me an anecdote, and I listen intently, eager to know more about Anna's parents. "She was even more nervous than you, actually; her coronation was going to be the same day as her wedding after all, and she wanted to make a good impression. More so considering she was from a kingdom that had been Arendelle's enemy for many years, and so many people disapproved of her marriage with King Agdar."

"Was theirs an arranged marriage?" I ask curiously, because given the circumstances, it seems like the most obvious thing.

"No." She shakes her head. "Even if one of the first things King Agdar did in his reign was to establish an alliance with Corona, both he and Queen Idunn had to fight hard to be able to get married. It's quite a romantic story actually."

"I imagine." I answer smiling, glad to hear that not all marriages within royalty are arranged; I'd hate to see Anna marry someone she doesn't love. "Two royals from enemy kingdoms, bound by a love so strong that it eventually brought peace and prosperity to both their nations. That does sound romantic." I say, and inadvertently I find myself wishing for something like that. I mean, it's not impossible; if I'm actually the Ice Queen from the Northern Lands, and Anna is the Queen of Arendelle…

Wait. No. What am I even thinking? That's ridiculous! Even if I was the Ice Queen (which I'm _not_ ) Anna wouldn't marry me; I'm a Northerner! Not that I want to marry her anyways. That's just crazy talk. It must be the exhaustion.

"Uh…" I clear my throat to get rid of those stupid thoughts of mine and address the woman once again. "So… did the former Queen come here often?"

"Yes, but not to buy dresses." She answers. "My sister has very bad taste, which is why we don't have as many buyers anymore, but I'm a very good tailor, if I do say so myself, and the Queen often brought her dresses here for me to fix them."

"Why didn't she just have someone make her dresses, like An-… _Queen_ Anna does?" I ask, finding this very weird.

"She never did like the Arendellian style, and so she always ordered them from Corona." The woman shrugs.

"I see…" I answer. I don't really see much difference between the dresses Rapunzel wears and the ones Anna has. Except maybe the princess's have more vivid colors.

"I actually have one right here; she gave it to me so I could fix it just before she… passed away." Her gaze turns sad for a second, but she covers it rather quickly, shooting me a mischievous smile. "Do you want to see it?"

"Only if you want to show me." I answer, because obviously that dress must be special for this woman. It was the last one she got to fix for the Queen, after all.

"Wait here." She says before disappearing to the back of the store. I don't have to wait much though, because she soon comes back, carrying a blue and purple dress with silver floral patterns embroidered here and there.

"Wow!" I can't help exclaiming at seeing it. It has to be by far the most beautiful and elegant dress I've seen today. Queen Idunn undoubtedly had good taste. "It's… it's beautiful."

"You wanna try it?" She suggests, and though I'm inclined to take up on the offer, I feel like I shouldn't. It's technically Anna's mother's dress after all.

"I… I wouldn't dare. I mean, it's too much for me." I answer unsurely.

"Nonsense! This dress will look a lot better on a beautiful young girl like you than gathering dust in a corner of my shop." She insists, practically throwing the dress at me before leading me to the changing room.

"Okay then… if you insist." I agree reluctantly, but also eager to try this on. I wonder if it'll fit me.

Therefore, I get off my dress and, after struggling quite a bit with the laces and the sleeves, I finally manage to put it on. I'm pleased to see in the mirror that it actually fits me like a glove… even if I think it was made for a slightly shorter woman, but it isn't all that noticeable. And I have to admit the Coronan people have a very good taste when it comes to colors, because this combination is absolutely lovely, more so because it exalts my blue eyes and makes my pale skin look lustrous. Plus, it has some cleavage, but it's nothing scandalous, which helps show off my… best qualities.

I'm in fact very pleased with it, and when Rapunzel comes to find me, I confidently step out of the changing room and show it to her, feeling proud when the three women in the shop keep staring at me with wide eyes and open mouths.

"Hey, Punz. I think I've found the perfect dress."

* * *

 **A/N: So, again, this was more of a filling chapter, but it's important to the plot, so... anyways. At least the next chapter will be the ball (prepare for some Elsanna ;)).**

 **So, thanks for reading and if you liked this chapter, please review/fav/follow, it really helps me to keep writing. I appreciate your support very much.**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter** **13**.

I'm in my room, going through the endless preparations necessary for the ball tonight, while Rapunzel talks endlessly about how excited she is. She says she's eager to meet as many new people as she can, dance all night with Eugene and feast until she's stuffed to bursting. I just smile and laugh at some of her sillier comments, but unfortunately I can't bring myself to feel any sort of excitement. Meeting people and dancing seems stressful enough without having to worry about controlling my powers. Even if I can manage to keep social interactions to a minimum, I'll have to be careful about how much and how fast I drink.

But I somehow manage to keep my worries to myself, hurrying up to get my dress on and apply some light makeup as Rapunzel keeps talking. When I'm done she eyes me over carefully, looking at my dress and make-up as she inspects it for even the smallest of imperfections. To my relief, she soon nods in approval and smiles happily.

"You look beautiful." She says. "And you certainly seem like a Coronan noble, so I think we have nothing to worry about."

"What about my hair?" I ask while caressing my braid absentmindedly.

"Well… it looks great like it is now, since your natural hair color goes well with that dress, but…"

"I have to use a wig." I complete what she's saying, sighing. I hate that thing.

"Yeah." She looks at me apologetically before going to retrieve said thing. "I was thinking maybe something like…"

Before she can finish what she's saying, the door opens and a certain redhead walks in. She's wearing a deep grey-ish blue dress with some yellow and red patterns depicting leaves here and there on the bodice, long sleeves, and a long red cape trailing behind her. Her hair is contained in a bun, so her tiara rests proudly at the top of her head. She truly looks like a queen tonight.

 _A_ very _beautiful queen._ I think as my gaze inevitably travels through her whole body; her chest that, highlighted by the patterns on her dress, looks fuller than usual, her tiny waist, accentuated by her corset (not that she needs it anyways), and her hips, which aren't as wide as mine, but are very good looking all things considered. Plus, she's wearing minimal makeup, so her freckles still show. She's just perfect. Astounding.

And… I have been staring at her without saying a word for ten seconds flat. Come on Elsa, say something!

"Huh. I guess I did something right if the queen of Arendelle herself is left speechless after seeing my work of art." Rapunzel says in a teasing tone, and just then I realize Anna had also been looking at me intently, and I can't help blushing furiously at that. The redhead shakes her head and gives us a nervous smile as she walks towards me.

"Well… I mean, that dress _is_ great, but the person wearing it has far more merit than you." She retorts, and the princess rolls her eyes in a playful manner, while I blush even brighter at the compliment, not knowing what to say. "Where did you get that dress anyways? The style is definitely from Corona."

"Well…" Rapunzel starts, obviously reluctant to tell Anna that it was her mother's, so I save her by explaining it myself.

"It was your mother's. A tailor sold it to us; she said the former queen gave it to her just before she…" When Anna's gaze saddens, I realize she's already understood and see no need to finish the phrase and make her even sadder, so I just trail off, deviating my gaze.

"It sure looks like something mom would wear." Anna comments, eying at the dress with a nostalgic and somewhat distant look on her face, like she's remembering her mother. It makes me feel a bit uncomfortable actually, considering she would have seen her mother wearing this dress instead of me if she hadn't died. Maybe buying it wasn't a good idea. Not if it upsets Anna (even if she won't admit it).

"About the hairstyle…" Rapunzel starts, apparently oblivious to Anna's thoughts, as she goes to retrieve my wig and puts it over my head without even stopping to ask for permission. "I was thinking something elegant, like a bun." She says, taking most of the fake hair with her hands and pulling it up, making some sort of improvised bun. "What do you think?" She asks Anna.

Anna's eyes widen and her face pales a little bit as soon as Rapunzel makes the improvised bun and she rushes to reply.

"I-I don't think it's a good idea." She says, obviously shaken by some reason I can't comprehend. "Maybe you should do something less regal? It _is_ a party, after all. We want her to look approachable."

"But she's supposed to be a noble. She should also look elegant." Rapunzel argues, and I have to admit she has a point, but Anna just shakes her head firmly, making it clear (at lest for me) that she won't relent on this matter.

"And while I agree that my mom was the perfect example of elegance and grace, and everything a noblewoman should be, dressing Elsa up like her is a little too much." Anna answers with a scowl firmly fixed on her face.

"I'm not dressing her up like your mother…" Rapunzel says weakly, but it doesn't sound convincing at all.

"Seriously?" Anna raises an eyebrow. " _Her_ dress, _her_ hair color and _her_ hairstyle." She points at each one of those things as she says them. "I think some people would take offense to that."

"Like you?" Rapunzel asks, frowning.

"Yes, like me, so just please let her hair down, or in a braid or whatever, just… _don't_ dress her up like my mother." She sounds upset as she says this. _Very_ upset. Probably because this really reminds her too much about her deceased parents. Can't Rapunzel see that? How did she not anticipate this exact reaction? And why does she keep pushing the subject? I better put a stop to this before they end up fighting.

"I-if you want, I could just wear another dress, and braid my hair as always. I didn't mean to offend you." I say apologetically, and to my relief, as soon as Anna's eyes land on me, they soften considerably.

"The dress is fine. Perfect, actually." Anna assures me with a kind smile. "You look beautiful in it, and it'd be a shame if you didn't wear it." I blush at her compliment and the sweet way she says it, too different from the tone she used with her cousin. "Just… let your hair down. Well… the wig's hair." She adds, and I rush to reassure her.

"Don't worry, I will." I say firmly and she nods before giving one last warning glare at her cousin and turning around to exit the room. She only pauses at the door to say she'll meet us at the ballroom in about an hour and then she's gone. Now, I have to make sure Rapunzel doesn't do something else to upset the queen.

* * *

"Nervous?" Kristoff asks me with a mocking smile on his face as we approach the ballroom. Unfortunately, Anna and Rapunzel had to go ahead of me since they're the host and the one the ball is made for respectively, so I'm left alone with my guard, which isn't making things easier for me.

"You have no idea." I answer honestly, and he chuckles. Apparently he's in a good mood today.

"I was nervous too when I attended my first ball, even if all that was expected of me was to stand there and make sure nothing happened to the princess." He replies with a fond smile on his face. "Of course Anna ended up sneaking out early to avoid any more conversation with boring nobles or dance with any more old men. She actually stole a bunch of chocolate and we ended up eating it in the garden until our tummies ached."

"That sounds like something Anna would do alright." I answer laughing, a little more relaxed now that he's told me the story. "But I doubt she could sneak out of the party now that she's the queen."

"She's learned to deal with it since then." He shrugs.

"Unfortunately the same can't be said about me. What if someone talks to me? Or worse; what if someone asks me to dance?" I voice out my doubts and insecurities, only because he's being nice for once, probably because of the partying atmosphere. Hopefully he will be able to give me some advice, aside from what Anna and Rapunzel have already told me.

"You could always refuse, you know?" He says it like it's obvious.

"Right." I roll my eyes. He clearly doesn't know anything about social interaction and public relationships. "I need them to like me, and to believe I really am a noble from Corona, and that I'm suited to be Anna's counselor. I can't afford to be rude with them."

"Why do you care so much?" He asks, a little bit annoyed by my complaining. "It's not like Anna's kicking you out anytime soon, even if everyone finds out who you really are and you can't be her counselor anymore."

"Because…" I pause, not knowing what to say. I mean, yes, it'd be ideal if everyone liked me and I made a good impression. But I know that no matter what happens tonight, many will still spread terrible rumors about me, if only out of envy of my new position and the power it brings. And it _would_ be easier to just play the part of Northerner refugee than to try and work at being Anna's counselor. So why? How did I even get into this mess?

"I do it for Anna." I answer with such conviction it surprises me. "She needs a counselor, and I'm sure no one is more suited to the post than me."

"How humble of you." He raises an eyebrow.

"It's not because I think myself as more talented or wiser than most people." I correct myself, annoyed that that's what he assumed. "It's because I care about Anna, and I believe in her. All I want is to help her being a better queen, not to have any personal gain."

"You sure about that?" He asks with a lot of doubt and distrust in his voice, again being the same Kristoff as always, thinking the worst of me just because I'm a Northerner. I can't even begin to explain how mad that makes me! I mean, we've known each other for almost two whole months, and in all that time I haven't done even one evil thing. Shouldn't that be enough? What do I have to do to make him trust me?

However, before I have a chance to give him a piece of my mind, he stops me when I'm about to inadvertently bump into a guard, and I realize we've arrived at the ballroom. There's music inside, and from here I can see lots of people chatting and laughing with each other, though there's no music yet and the food hasn't been touched. I guess we'll have to wait for Anna to make her grand entrance before the party _really_ starts.

"Well, here we are." Kristoff says, eying over the people in there. "Have fun, I guess. I'll be around if you need anything." And then he goes to stand at one corner, apparently happy to be away from me for a while, and I'm left alone.

As I see all the people attending the ball, nobles and rulers that will undoubtedly want to talk with me, I wonder if that's a good thing.

* * *

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the honor to present to you Queen Anna of Arendelle." Kai says, and instantly the redhead comes to stand in front of the single throne that's placed at a slightly elevated platform at the farthest end of the ballroom from where I entered. Instantly, everyone bows before her, and I quickly do the same, even if I find it a little weird now that I know Anna on a more personal level. "And our honored guests, Princess Rapunzel of Corona and Prince-Consort Eugene." Kai speaks once again, and we all remain in a bowing position until both royals have stopped next to Anna. Then, the queen speaks.

"Please rise." It's the first thing she says, and we all do just that, before she starts her little speech that's had her terrified for the entire week. I'm proud to say I helped her with it, and the result was actually very satisfying. "First of all, welcome. I'm honored so many of you were able to attend this very special occasion." Her voice is firm and steady as she speaks, even if it's obvious her shoulders are tense and she isn't quite sure what to do with her hands. We'll have to work on that.

"As you may know, Princess Rapunzel of Corona and her husband, Prince Eugene, have honored us with their presence for the last month, spending their time improving relations between our kingdoms and assisting me with matters of state, like the selection of my new counselor." Anna was reluctant about that part of the speech, but I insisted she included it, as we don't want false rumors circulating. "However, the time has come for them to return to their kingdom, and I'm sure we'll all miss them, so I've gathered us here tonight to say goodbye. But instead of sadness I hope this will be a time of merriment, with songs and dance, food and win. So I truly hope you'll enjoy this ball, since it'll be the last chance we'll have to spend time with the Princess and her consort for the foreseeable future." She says the last part smiling fondly at the couple, a smile that's promptly returned. Then, she turns to address the crowd once more.

"Please, let the celebrations commence." She concludes, and instantly the music starts and we all clap to celebrate her speech. Finally, when the three of them step out of the platform to join the rest of the guest's, people begin to scatter, going to the tables for something to eat or drink, or to the center of the ballroom to dance, or to the edges to talk with each other.

I, on the other hand, given that I don't know anyone here _and_ have a tendency to get nervous with so many people around, try to sneak towards some secluded corner at the far end of the hall, in hopes of avoiding notice for a while at least. However, I'm not so fortunate.

I'm quickly stopped by several people, nobles from Arendelle and other kingdoms, functionaries of state, diplomats, and the like. They all look at me with too much curiosity as they bombard me with questions, inquiring about my linage, my past, my family, education, relationship with the queen, etc. Some even ask more personal questions, like my age and if I'm single or married. Thankfully, I remember all the lies Anna and Rapunzel had me plan for this situation, and try not to be bothered by the suspicious, spiteful and jealous looks some of them give me.

Also, more than a few of them ask me to dance, but each and every time I decline the offer by either pretending someone is calling me at the other side of the room, saying I'm not feeling well enough to dance, or inventing some other excuse. I also notice a couple of men giving me lustful glances, and immediately feel awkward about it. Romance is the last thing on my mind after all, and I really don't see myself with a man anytime soon.

I wish I could be spending time with Anna, or Rapunzel, or Eugene. But they're even more occupied than me, talking with far too many people to be able to come to my rescue. But it's mandatory that I talk to them at some point, and I'm looking forward to that more than I'd like to admit.

Meanwhile though, I'm finally able to escape from some old Duke that wanted to dance with me (and who quite obviously knew even less about dancing than myself), and head towards the nearest table. Upon it are countless plates piled high with chocolate, krumcake, pastries and other sweets in display. They look and smell wonderful, so I barely spare them a glance before grabbing a few of each and devouring them. They are every bit as good as they look. And they help calm my anxiety a bit.

However, as I'm about to take another chocolate from the pile, someone pokes my side and I let out a loud shriek, almost jumping out of my skin in surprise, only to then turn and face my attacker… who is of course the princess of Corona herself. And she's laughing so loud she doubles over, obviously finding my reaction to her little joke hilarious.

"Rapunzel!" I chastise her, but this only makes her laugh harder.

"I'm sorry, I tried to stop her." Eugene, who I just notice is standing behind his wife, says, but he's quite obviously trying to hold back his own laughter. I only manage to pout at them, which of course amuses them even more.

"Did you just come to make fun of me?" I say accusatorily, crossing my arms over my chest. Though in reality I'm more relieved and glad for their presence than I'll admit.

"I actually came to see if you hadn't frozen anyone yet." Rapunzel says between giggles, and my eyes widen at her rather reckless statement.

"D-don't say things like that while we're in public." I say, nervously glancing at my sides to see if anyone is paying attention to us, but apparently everyone is minding their own business. Plus, the music makes eavesdropping difficult, and there's no one near us, but… still.

"Relax! No one would take it seriously even if they heard." The princess says before taking a sip from her drink. I guess that explains her recklessness.

"It's easy to say that when it's not _your_ life on the line." I answer with a scowl, but both royals just roll their eyes.

"It's a party, Elsa! You shouldn't be worrying so much!" Eugene chastises me. "Here, take this. It will help you loosen up." At this, he hands me one of the many glasses of wine that are sitting on the table. I accept it for mere politeness, but I know I won't be drinking it; it'd surely make my powers unstable.

"You're supposed to drink it, not stare at it, you know?" The princess teases me between giggles.

"But what if I get drunk and end up having a slip up?" I reply anxiously.

"Why the sudden anxiety? All the time we've known each other, you've been in full control of your powers, right?" Eugene questions.

"Yes, when I'm _conscious_." I glare at him once more, even if I know he's right. The only time I've lost control was when I was having a nightmare, and even then my magic didn't feel nearly as unstable and wild as it does in my memories, even if the _amount_ of magic in my veins is surely greater. But still. It's too risky.

"Come on, Elsa. You look like you're not having fun at all!" Rapunzel complains, and I have to roll my eyes at that.

"Well, what did you expect? I've been forced to talk with more people than I've known in my entire life during the last four hours, all of that while acting like a noble woman from another country, and avoiding dancing like the plague. _Of course_ I'm not having fun." I pretty much growl at her. And yes, I know I'm being unfair; they're just trying to make me relax, but right now all I want is to get some of my frustration out.

"You know who else isn't having fun?" Eugene asks, and I turn to him with slight curiosity. "Anna." He says as he points towards the center of the ballroom, where the queen is trying to dance with the Duke that offered me a dance before… but he's an absolute disaster, prancing around her like a duck and stepping on her toes, which makes her wince before she covers it quickly with a fake smile that isn't very convincing.

"You should go save her." Rapunzel says, playfully bumping her shoulder with mine.

"Maybe…" I say, as I watch the Duke once again stepping on her toes.

"Ask her to dance." She suggests.

"I… wait, what?" I ask, eying her like she just suggested I get naked in the middle of the dance floor. However, she just gives me an exited smile.

"She'd love to dance with you, I'm sure!" She exclaims. "And besides, in case you haven't noticed, balls are to _dance_ , not to anxiously hide away in a corner."

"And in case _you_ haven't noticed, I don't know how to dance." I remind her. Though I must admit that dancing with Anna sounds surprisingly pleasing.

I imagine taking her hand, placing my other hand on her shoulder as she places hers on my waist, pulling me close until I can clearly feel the warmth of her body against my own. And then we start moving to a slow song, forgetting about the world and just gazing into each other's eyes… Wait that sounded too romantic. And I definitely don't see Anna in _that_ way. What's between the two of us is purely platonic. Definitely.

"You surely dance better than the Duke of Weaseltown." Rapunzel encourages me, as we see him acting like a monkey, and I discreetly giggle at that. "Even if just barely." She adds with a teasing tone.

"You taught me how to dance _yesterday_. For an hour. Before giving up." I sigh, remembering how I kept struggling to move my feet as the princess had instructed me without looking at them. Probably the most difficult thing I've tried to learn in my life. "I don't want to embarrass Anna."

"You won't embarrass her!" She protests, clearly getting frustrated by my negativity. "She's being more embarrassed by the Duke."

"But…"

"Come on, you have to save her from him." She insists, giving me pleading eyes, but I just roll my eyes. That tactic won't work with me. Only Anna is able to pull it off well enough.

"Look at that." Eugene says, amused, and we both turn to look at Anna. "Looks like a handsome prince just came to her rescue instead."

Indeed; a handsome young man dressed in fine clothes is now taking the queen from the hands of the Duke. I recognize him as one of those who were eying at me before with a little too much interest. He's tall, with tan skin, has short dark hair and is wearing a green military uniform with two medals on it. I bet he's a noble with an important position in the military. And I bet he wants Anna the same way he wanted me.

I don't know why, but the thought makes an unpleasant sensation appear on my stomach.

"Too late, Elsa. She won't be leaving his arms for the rest of the evening; she does have a tendency to get infatuated with the first man that shows her the slightest bit of interest." Rapunzel laughs, and her words make the magic in my veins agitate furiously. I can't let that man dance with Anna! Why? Well… I don't know. I don't trust him. He's too… _charming_. I bet he just wants her because of her position, and I can't allow her to fall in his hands.

Without even thinking about it, I impulsively drink the contents of my glass in one gulp. It burns my throat, and the taste is a little too bitter for me, but I don't care. I need to calm down if I'm going to ask Anna to dance, and if this will make me relax, then so be it. A little bit of alcohol surely won't be making my powers go wild, right? I mean, several seconds have passed and I don't feel any different.

"Whoa, take it easy!" Eugene exclaims, talking the glass from me as he sees me drinking like that. "You've never drank alcohol, you can't just…" But I don't let him finish, because I push him away and start walking confidently towards my queen. Then I realize I still don't have enough confidence to dance and return to the table, quickly grab another glass of wine, empty it and put it down again, before hurrying once more towards her.

The wine didn't make me more confident, but a tiny bit dizzy in a good way. I also feel, somehow like everything else is a little blurry, except my goal; Anna. And, as I come to a stop in front of her and her dance partner, I realize the wine has also made me bolder, since I step between them without a second thought, only briefly acknowledging the boy, saying something like "I'm sorry, but I need to speak with her" before taking Anna away.

"Elsa? What are you doing? Where have you been since the ball started?" Anna asks as I take her as far away as possible from the man. "Is something wrong?" She looks concerned, probably because of what I told the man before I took her.

"No." I assure her with a gentle smile, finally coming to a stop and standing before her. "I just wanted to dance with you."

"Elsa." She shakes her head with an amused expression. "You only had to ask, not to drag me away from that poor boy like your life depended on it."

"Sorry." I say sheepishly, looking at the ground and blushing. "I just really wanted to be with you, since I haven't seen you since before the ball started."

"Well, since you're my counselor I guess it'd be wise to keep you close for the rest of the night, don't you think?" At this, she offers me her hand to take, presumably so we can dance, and I take it with just the slightest bit of reluctance; I don't have my gloves on after all, since Rapunzel insisted they didn't go well with the dress. "And besides…" She adds as she pulls me towards her, holding my waist and silently encouraging me to place my free hand on her shoulder. "I have to make sure you don't drink anymore." She finishes with a teasing smirk, and I roll my eyes before she starts moving, with me following her lead (or tying to anyways).

"I only drank one glass!" I protest, but when she raises an eyebrow, clearly not believing me, I mutter the truth. "… maybe two."

And she laughs. I always love when she laughs like that, with genuine merriment and amusement, without caring if the sound is elegant or refined, even closing her eyes and letting her teeth show. I love it. And I love even more being one of the few people that can make her laugh like that.

"It's quite obvious." She says once she's stopped laughing, looking at me with an expression of utter joy. "You keep losing the beat and stepping on my toes." That line snaps me out of my contemplation of her perfection, and I realize that I may be moving, but I'm not moving right _at all_. I look down at my feet to find them stumbling every two seconds, trying to follow Anna's lead and failing miserably. I quickly try to correct that, remembering what Rapunzel said about counting inside my head to keep the rhythm and draw a triangle in the ground with my feet when I move (or was it a circle? A rectangle?). However, it's useless, and soon I'm stumbling even more as anxiety overtakes me. That is, until Anna lets go of my waist and, with said hand, lifts my chin so I can look at her eyes.

"Relax." She giggles. "The point of dancing is that you have fun and interact with your partner; there's no need to get all tensed up."

"But… but I'm embarrassing you in front of all your guests, and…" Before I can protest anymore, Anna places a finger over my lips, gently silencing me.

"Shh. Don't worry about it." She coos, returning her hand to my waist, which, together with how tenderly she looks at me, for some reason makes butterflies appear in my stomach. "I just want to be with you. I don't care if you are literally the worst dancer in this kingdom… which you're not; that'd be the Duke of Weaselton." She giggles cutely before grabbing me more firmly and making us spin, my feet desperately trying to keep up with her. "I want to have this moment. Just the two of us."

I feel a pleasant tingle all over my body at her words. But not exactly because of the words themselves, but the way she says them. So soft, so intense, so… _honest_. Anna's always been an open book, but right now, I feel like I know her more than ever. And that makes our clumsy dance all the more intimate. It's a little scary actually.

"Forget about the world." She continues instructing. "Forget about what Rapunzel told you about dancing. Forget we're not alone. Just… dance with me?" Anna bites her lip expectantly as she finishes her question, and I find her so adorable, I can just smile fondly at her and squeeze her hand in reassurance.

"I will." I promise, almost whispering. The radiant smile I get from Anna is enough to make me forget that I don't know how to dance.

We start moving slowly, practically just rocking back and forth, not following the beat of the song at all. But I don't care, because I can't see anything except Anna's eyes, I can feel nothing but her hands on me, and I can't hear anything but the calming way she hums a quiet song. It's very different from the one being played by the orchestra, but equally beautiful, and twice as calming. It's soft and slow, and I find it easier to move to its rhythm.

It's like I'm in some sort of trance. My feet move without me commanding them to. My eyes follow Anna's every moment with desperate longing. My hands clutch her gently but firmly without me knowing it. My heart races every time I see her precious smile. My stomach curls in some pleasant form of anxiety. And my body even gets the cues Anna gives me, spinning perfectly at her command.

It's very weird, and scary. But I like it. A lot.

My breathing starts becoming slightly erratic as we keep dancing, and my face feels hot. And though I'd like to think it's because of our dancing, I know it's mostly because of Anna's closeness. However, I don't think much about it; I have better things to concentrate on. Like Anna's amazing scent, the way she gracefully moves with me, the happiness that shows clear as day in her face… _everything_ about Anna is just wonderful to me.

And maybe that's why, when she suddenly switches our positions so her arms are wrapping around my neck and her head rests against my shoulder, I stumble, feeling suddenly lightheaded. Thankfully, I manage to also wrap my hands around her waist, and we continue dancing slowly. Anna sighs happily and I feel her breath against my neck; I swear I can even feel the beating of her heart against my chest because of how close we are.

I don't think I've ever been so close to anyone before, and though it's a little strange for me, mostly because of the nervousness I can't help feeling at our contact, I'm not going to complain.

But… her relaxing presence and the heat I feel, together with the soft music, the late hour and possibly also the wine, soon start making me feel a bit sleepy. Well, not quite sleepy, it's more like a dizziness, and a slightly worrying inability to concentrate on anything. I'm starting to think I'm a bit drunk actually.

"Elsa?" Anna asks, separating only to take my face and look at my eyes with a bit of apprehension. "Is everything okay?" She asks.

"Y-yeah?" I say, but it comes as a question because I'm not sure of the reason she's asking this. "Why?"

"You stopped moving." She states, and I realize it's true. "Are you feeling dizzy?"

"A little." I admit. "But I'm okay, don't worry." I give her a reassuring smile, hoping to convince her, but even I noticed how slurred my words came. It wasn't all that obvious, but by the face Anna gives me, I assume she noticed nonetheless.

"You shouldn't have drank so much wine." She sighs, shaking her head.

"I'm _fine_." I insist stubbornly, even if somewhere in the back of my mind, I know I'm not.

"Come on, let's just get you to bed." At this, she takes my hand and makes a motion to start moving, but I remain rooted on my place.

"Please Anna, I'm perfectly fine and not the slightest bit drunk." I practically whine. "Can't we just keep dancing? I want to keep dancing with you." I pout, trying to be persuading, but apparently all I managed with my little display was to convince Anna I'm in an absolute need to be locked in my room before I do something stupid because of my intoxication.

"I really think you're in no condition to dance any more." She answers, tugging at my hand. "Come on, don't make me drag you."

"So you don't want to dance with me?" I frown angrily and more than a little hurt. We were having so much fun! Everything was perfect! Why doesn't she want to dance anymore? Does she want to go back to the arms of that stupid man that surely wanted to court her? Does she prefer him than me? Maybe I should freeze him, and then see if she still wants him.

"Elsa!" She scream-whispers, startling me out of the unpleasant thoughts inside my head. "Stop! You're making it cold."

At her words, I quickly turn around, seeing people hugging themselves and shuddering; their breathing is visible, they are all murmuring and looking around in fear, probably thinking some Northerner is attacking us. Panicked, I quickly try to get the temperature back to normal, but in my current state, all I manage to do is release even more of my power, covering Anna's hand in a thin layer of frost. I regret not having my gloves right now.

"Elsa!" She insists, equally panicked, but I just manage to shake my head, indicating that I can't solve this right now. She bites her lip in thought, obviously trying to think of a solution, when suddenly the solution appears in front of us; Kristoff.

"Your majesty?" he asks in a formal tone, as we are at a public event and it's only proper. "This cold isn't natural. Perhaps it'd be wiser to end the party early in case a Northerner is planning an attack." He gives her a meaningful look, and she quickly understands what he's suggesting.

"Yes, that would be wise. It's not safe for me, nor for my distinguished guests…" She shoots me a look. "To remain here if there were to be an… _icy outburst_." She pauses, thinking for a moment. "I think I'll retire to my room now. Please inform everyone that the ball is over, and have guards escort them back to their quarters."

"Don't you want me to escort her to her room?" Kristoff asks, looking at me like I'm a wild animal that could attack him at any moment. This fact only makes more frost appear on Anna's arm.

"No." She shakes her head firmly. "I'll do that. I think that'd be safer for all of us." At her words, my guard frowns in clear disapproval, but says nothing, probably because he doesn't want me to get even more upset, and quickly goes to relay the queen's order to the guests and the other guards.

I, however, don't stay around to find out what happened, or if anyone noticed I was the cause of that sudden drop of temperature, because the queen is soon dragging me through the halls in a hurried and anxious fashion. I don't get what the whole deal about this is; we're alone now after all, aren't we? Even if I were to freeze something no one would see me.

And certainly no one will see me taking off this stupid wig; it's been terribly itchy ever since I put it on. And I'm certainly sick of all these wigs I'm forced to wear.

"Elsa, what are you doing?!" She exclaims in panic as she stops after I've thrown that wig onto the floor, only for her to pick it up. "What if someone sees you?!"

"There's no one here!" I retort in exasperation. "And that thing itches."

"Yes, I know, and I understand it must be very annoying for you, but we can't take risks." She answers, trying to put the wig on my head, but I evade her, not wanting to relent on this; I've been wearing that thing for too many hours today. "Elsa!" She whines. "Don't make this difficult."

"Anna…" I'm about to complain again, when suddenly we hear footsteps approaching us from the hallway. Suddenly, I wouldn't mind having the wig in anymore. But… there's no time to put it in; at least not without it being obvious it's a wig.

Before I can even start thinking of a solution, however, Anna takes my hand and drags me into the first room that we find… which actually isn't a room at all, but a balcony. A _very_ small balcony. But at least its doors are made of stained glass, meaning whoever is passing by the hallway can't see anything but our silhouettes. Hopefully, they'll think we're just two lovers that escaped the party to be alone in private. I mean, by the way we're positioned, we might as well be.

We're facing each other, our bodies pressing a little too intimately, and out faces mere inches away. My breath catches in my throat when I realize this fact, and quickly try to avert my gaze, least this gets even more intimate… except Anna's eyes are like magnets to mine. And her lips too. And I end up staring directly at her, unable to look away.

"Elsa." She suddenly whispers, and I instantly my gaze is drawn to her mouth as she speaks.

"Y-yeah?" I ask, fighting against my sudden (and rather ridiculous) urge to close the small distance between our faces.

"I'm going to put the wig on you again. Don't fight back, okay?" She speaks in a soothing tone of voice, like she's afraid I'm going to protest once more, and maybe even end up freezing something. However, I can't really deny her anything when she's standing so close to me that I can feel her warm breath over my lips.

"Y-yes. That… that's fine." I nod rapidly, but as I do that, our noses touch and we both end up blushing badly.

"Okay then." She answers, obviously trying to avoid my gaze as she raises her hands and carefully places the wig over my head, carefully pulling the few loose strands of my real hair inside it, so they can't be seen. I can't help blushing even more at her soft touch and how all her concentration is in me. I'm feeling even dizzier now than I was before.

"There." She says, releasing me just when I think I'm about to faint from how much blood is rushing to my head. "It's not perfect but at least no one will notice it's not your real hair."

"Do you think they're gone?" I ask, looking at the glass door to try and see if the person is still there, but I can't hear or see anything.

"Doesn't matter now that you have your wig." She shrugs. "Now come on, let's get you to your room."

We exit the little balcony, and I instantly find myself missing having her so close, but I can't really protest without sounding creepy, so we're both soon hurrying towards my room. In the way, I notice lots of guards and servants running in the hallways, aiding some of the guests heading back to their rooms, or finding a guest room to stay in. I guess some of them didn't want to risk going home thinking a Northerner might be planning an attack.

We don't even stop to acknowledge the questioning looks so many people shoot us, and we're soon inside my bedroom.

"Come on, get changed." Anna instructs me as she goes to my wardrobe and produces my usual nightgown from it and throws it at me. I'm barely able to catch it in my current state. "I'll go to the bathroom." She excuses herself before taking something else from my closet and disappearing into my private bathroom. The tiredness is catching up to me, however, and I decide not to question her actions and just get into my nightgown and out of this horrible wig, and then go to sleep.

Just when I'm nesting comfortably into my sheets, however, I see the queen come out… dressed in a spare nightgown I have, and with her hair loose, carrying her dress, her shoes and crown in her hands.

"Uhm… shouldn't you go to your own bedroom before changing?" I ask, completely and utterly confused.

"I'm sleeping here." She says firmly before putting her things on a chair next to my bed.

"You know your room is like ten minutes away from mine, right?" I say, raising an eyebrow. It's not like I don't want her to sleep here; on the contrary, being with Anna in any way possible is always a pleasure, but… I just don't understand what her intentions are.

"Exactly." She closes her arms over her chest in an authoritarian manner. "Ten minutes too late if you lose control of your powers in the middle of the night."

"Look." I sigh, a little bit upset that she thinks I have so little control. "If you're talking about what happened earlier, it was only because of the alcohol, but I'm fine now, so…"

"Yes, you also said you were fine before you froze my hand." She answers with a scowl. "You may not feel it, but the castle is still colder than usual. Even _I_ can feel that."

I pause at her words, trying to feel my magic and, surprisingly enough, I realize a little part of it is still escaping from my hands. I try to get it in check, but my mind is still a little foggy, so it's useless. With a sigh, I have to admit Anna is right; she's the only one able to calm me down if I were to have a real outburst in my slightly drunken condition.

"Fine." I say, moving to one side of the bed, so Anna can get in. Thankfully it's big enough for the two of us.

"Thank you." She says playfully once she's settled herself under the covers and is lying at her side, facing me. I just roll my eyes before taking the candle on my night table and blowing it out. Then, I go to lay in the same position as Anna, figuring it'll be easier to sleep that way.

That's when her hands take carefully my face, keeping me in place as her lips gently brush against my temple.

"Sweet dreams." She mumbles against my skin, making butterflies appear on my stomach.

In that moment, I feel that strange but pleasant tingle on my body all over again, and can't help letting out a shuddering breath, on which Anna thankfully doesn't comment. Another good thing also happens though; my magic stops flowing out of my body, and a sudden warmth fills me. It's like I'm literally melting inside, but it feels good. Really good.

I will never understand how Anna can cause such strong reactions on me with only the smallest of touches.

"S-sweet dreams. To y-you too." I'm barely able to stutter, and Anna giggles at that.

"Don't freeze anything while I'm sleeping." She teases.

"With you here, I don't think that'll be possible." I answer honestly, and we fall silent after that.

I can see, thanks to the light entering from my window, that she smiled at my words, and that she continues to stare at me as we just lay on my bed. For some reason, this doesn't feel creepy or weird at all; just loving and comforting, and I soon end up falling sleep with my eyes locked on hers.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, there you have it: a whole chapter devoted to pure Elsanna fluffiness. And the romance hasn't even properly started! XD**

 **Well, thanks for reading and please tell me what you think. If you liked it or not, your favorite parts, or just anything you want to tell me. I always appreciate your reviews, favorites and follows :D**

 **Also, I made a drawing of the scene at the ball. If you want to check it out, you can find it on DeviantArt, Reddit or Tumblr (you can find me as TaniaHylian).**

 **Thank you, again, and see you next time :)**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14.**

 _I'm running, running through the snow like my life depended on it. In front of me there's a redheaded man that keeps dragging me and telling me I need to move faster. But I'm weak. I'm cold. I'm tired. I can't do this._

" _Come on, Elsa. We have to hurry." He says urgently. "We need to reach the wall before dawn."_

 _But before I can really comprehend what's going on, the world spins and I find myself surrounded by tall walls of blue ice._

 _I'm in a circular chamber, sitting in some sort of chair and staring at the ceiling, where a big chandelier, made of crystallized ice, is hanging. I'm thinking about how I maybe shouldn't have made it so big, and not really listening to what someone in front of me is saying._

 _I'm tired. Too tired. Can't he see that?_

"… _And so, Weaselton refused to establish trade with a piece of land that isn't even a proper kingdom and has a witch for a queen." He paused, before sighing and glaring at me. "Elsa, are you even listening to me?"_

" _Yes, I'm listening." I don't tell him I only listened to the last part of what he said. Hopefully nothing more important needs my attention right now._

" _Well?" He asks. "What should we do?"_

 _Darkness surrounds me for a second, and when I'm able to see once more, I'm somewhere else; a somewhat snowy valley. It's dark, and there's no moon, but I can still see a man in front of me, dressed in the teal uniform of a royal guard, but with a black hood covering part of his face._

" _Papa!" I call to him, crying torrents and fighting against the grip of the soldier that's dragging me away from him, but he remains still, just watching me being taken away. The pain on my chest intensifies greatly at this, and I fight harder, struggling to return to him. "Papa, please! Don't leave me!" I plead once more, but he doesn't move._

" _I'm sorry." He says, and it sounds like he's crying too. "Goodbye, Elsa."_

 _Everything changes once more, and this time I'm lying on a bed, apparently made of snow. I know I should get up now, since the light of the sun filters trough the icy walls and enters proudly trough the window. But I'm still sleepy. Last night I barely had any sleep._

 _It's always like this when Hans is out to the provinces, but this time was worse because Helen went with him. Sure, Olaf and Marshall help me out all they can, but… it's not the same. I need my friend's comforting presence, and I need Hans' advice. But more importantly, I need him so my powers don't go wild._

" _Elsa!" I hear Olaf's voice coming from the stairs to my room. He sounds almost panicked. Something that needs my attention must have happened… or maybe he's just exaggerating as always. Whatever it is, I still get up and prepare myself to greet him._

 _As expected, he bursts in without even knocking, yelling my name before stopping in front of me and pausing to catch his breath. He looks like he also just woke up, with his disheveled black hair, messy pajamas and shoeless feet._

" _Elsa." He says once more between pants._

" _Yes, Olaf? What happened?" I ask, slightly concerned._

" _The monarchs of Arendelle… they're dead."_

 _The scene dissolves once more, and this time I'm in a different room, a different bed. These aren't made of ice. These are normal and quite elegant, like something you'd see in a palace. I, however, am not directly sitting on the bed, but on my mother's lap, hugging her tightly. Crying._

 _Despite my gloves, the ice is spreading_ fast _._

" _Shhhh." She coos, trying to calm me down. "Don't cry, sweetheart." She says._

" _Why does papa hate me?" I ask between sobs, feeling my heart clench in agony._

" _Oh, Elsa, he doesn't hate you." She replies, tightening her hold on me. "Ever since you were born, he hasn't loved anything more than he does you."_

" _He hates all ice-wielders." I protest between hiccups. "He says we're bad. And he always gets angry when I do magic."_

" _He doesn't hate ice-wielders." She assures me, and her soft voice is almost enough to convince me of her words. Almost. "He's just scared of what he doesn't understand, just like everyone else."_

 _But her voice gets more quiet at the end as she disappears, together with everything else._

 _Now, I'm standing in the middle of a field, inspecting the little plants that have just started to grow, and listening to a man's explanation about the soil, temperature and water requirements. Apparently, it all seems to be going well enough and we will be able to feed on them in a few months. I just hope there will be enough for everyone. Or at least for the kids._

 _If not, maybe we could buy some more with the money we get by selling what we extract from our mines. I wonder if Hans has had any success destroying that wall of rocks. Maybe we'll find some more ore on the other side._

" _Elsa!" Olaf yells, and I turn to see him running towards me. I fight the urge to correct him, because I know it'd be useless. "Hans found something in the mines." He informs me, doubling over and trying to catch his breath. "He said you needed to see it."_

 _Suddenly, I'm not on the field anymore; I'm in a_ battlefield _. No. I'm in the middle of a carnage. Ice and blood mingle everywhere. Steel cuts through flesh and ice pierces the soldiers' hearts._

 _I didn't want this. I didn't mean to start a war. I don't want to kill anyone, and yet… I have no option but to defend myself, and to defend the other Northerners. My superior powers don't have any problem killing every single Arendellian soldier in sight, and a part of me thinks they deserve it, but I don't take any pleasure in this._

 _I wished it didn't have to come to this. But apparently Hans was right; Arendelle just won't leave us alone unless we send a clearer and much more brutal message. Not that I'm doing this massacre for that purpose, but the revolution has started and, if I can't stop it with words, I may as well do it with ice._

 _I know we're all in danger until the last soldier falls._

 _I close my eyes for a moment, and when I open them again, I'm in an entirely different place. A cottage._

 _I'm in my bed, looking at the stars trough the hole in the ceiling, trying to remember the names of the constellations while waiting for sleep to find me._

 _In that moment, however, the door to my room opens and Helen walks in, wearing her pajamas._

" _Elsa!" She says enthusiastically, but trying to keep her voice low. "Are you awake?"_

" _Yes." I answer, sitting up and turning to face her. "Did you need anything?"_

" _Do you want to build a snowman?" She asks with a mischievous smile as she walks towards me. I just sigh, not wanting to disappoint her, but knowing I shouldn't agree._

" _You know I'm not supposed to use my powers." I gently remind her, but she just comes to me, hugs me tightly and pouts, giving me puppy dog eyes._

" _Please?" She insists._

" _Helen… remember what happened last time I used my powers for our amusement?" I say, and her gaze instantly saddens._

" _Yes." She sighs._

" _Well then, go to your room." I command her, afraid she'll insist and I won't be able to refuse her._

" _Can I at least sleep with you?" She then asks, almost pleading, and in her scared eyes I see she's relieving the night I mentioned a little too vividly._

" _Of course." I reply with a smile that she promptly mirrors._

 _But as I look down at her cute and happy face, Helen starts transforming. Her eyes are no longer completely green, but have a few traces of blue here and there. Her hair now is red, instead of brown, and is tied up in two pigtails instead of flowing free. Her skin looks healthier, and her cheeks more roundish. Her body isn't sickly thin anymore, and her head barely comes to my stomach instead of my chest. She's also wearing a real nightgown instead of rags._

 _Startled, I realize I'm now looking at a younger version of Anna. A child that's roughly five years old._

 _But the child starts to grow in my arms; she starts getting taller, her hair gets longer, her face loses the baby fat, her neck is now more slender, and her body… gosh, her body feels so good between my arms. I can feel her tiny waist just above her round and firm bottom. I can feel her soft breasts pressing against my own chest._

 _But it's not enough. As I look at her half-lidded eyes, I'm only certain of one thing: I want_ more _._

" _Elsa." Anna says with a husky voice, biting her lip sexily. "I need you."_

" _Anna…" I start saying, but I'm silenced by her lips crashing against mine._

 _I close my eyes to savor better the kiss. It's sweet. Passionate. Persistent but soft and loving. It just feels so_ right _. Not only in the physical way either, but on the fact it feels like it's something I've been searching for my whole life without knowing it. Like finding a long-lost friend, or returning home after a long period of absence. It's comforting. It makes me feel safe. Like nothing else matters anymore, just her lips._

 _And maybe that's why, when she pushes me into the mattress, I don't put up any resistance, and we keep kissing, the queen laying on top of me while I tenderly caress her body, wanting to feel more of it but knowing it's too soon._

 _And then she starts kissing my neck, moaning softly my name as she does that. This, more than anything, makes a sudden warmth surge within me, and it has me quiver under her, begging for more._

" _Elsa…" She moans. "Please, make love to me."_

" _I-I… w-what?" I stutter, looking at her in confusion, only to see her lustful gaze staring back at me. "Now?!"_

" _Please." She says, kissing my neck once more._

" _Well…"_

* * *

Before I can form even one coherent phrase, however, I wake up _._

At first I'm not sure if I'm actually awake or in another memory or weird hallucination, given everything looks exactly like in my dream; I'm in my room at the castle, it's still dark outside and… I'm not alone in my bed. Anna's with me. Well, _on top_ of me. Drooling over my neck, with her arms and legs all over me, holding me in place.

At first I'm confused, but then I remember she actually stayed with me last night, saying I'd need her if my powers went wild in my sleep. But… I don't remember us falling asleep in this rather compromising and intimate position. It's probably what made me had that strange and sensual dream.

A dream that, unfortunately, has left me rather aroused, if the heat I feel in my core is any indication.

What's wrong with me? We're both women! And she's the queen! And I'm a peasant Northerner! Heck, I'm probably even the Ice Queen! Her enemy! I can't be having these feelings for her. It's stupid, and they'd never be returned, and I'd be utterly devastated if she went to find out and pushed me away because of them. And… this is just so stupid. I should have never let her sleep with me in the first place! That was probably the trigger to all this madness.

Or was it?

I mean, last night I undoubtedly felt something when we were dancing. And when we were alone in that little balcony, so close to each other. And when she kissed me goodnight. It's wasn't lust, _per_ _se_ , like in my dream. It was something more. Something deeper, like… _Love_.

But could it be? Have I really fallen for the queen? And if so… what can I do about it? Love is not something you can just get rid of out of pure will. I think. My only option is to hide it and pray she doesn't find out. She'd probably be disgusted, and she'd hate me. Or maybe she'd just say she doesn't see me that way and we could still be friends. I honestly don't know which option would be more painful.

But anyways, I need to calm down before I start freezing my bedroom. I have other things to worry about right now, like the rest of my dream.

They were memories. Well, _fragments_ of memories without any order, that on their own don't make any sense. It was rather chaotic, unlike the other dream-memories I have experienced and, if the greatly enhanced headache I have is any indication, I'd say that was because of the alcohol. Maybe if I hadn't drank, I wouldn't have had these weird visions of my past. But then again, I probably also wouldn't have been brave enough to ask Anna to dance, and she also wouldn't be sleeping with me right now so… I'm not complaining.

But still. It was too weird. The only things I can say for certain is that Hans and Helen were probably very important people in my life, I had some sort of important government position in the Northern Lands (though hopefully I wasn't the queen) and… my father hated me? No. He didn't. Mom said he loved me, and he was crying when he said goodbye to me, presumably when I was taken to the Northern Lands. Also, he was wearing the uniform of a royal guard, so I assume he was one, and probably worked at the palace.

Maybe he's still here?

The thought gives me chills. I hope he doesn't. I'm not sure what I'd do if he recognized me, more so considering I most likely wouldn't.

But enough of distressing thoughts; they're just accentuating my already bad headache, and some frost just appeared on my bed. And yes, Anna doesn't seem to mind much, but it'd be inconsiderate to force the queen to sleep on a block of ice, right? So maybe I should try to get some sleep, even if I doubt my headache will let me. Or Anna, for that matter. She keeps nuzzling comfortably into my neck and giving me the pleasant kind of chills.

Gosh, how am I ever going to keep my love for her a secret if even the smallest of her actions make my body react in ways I never thought possible? The next few days will surely be torture. Maybe even _months_ , until I manage to get rid of my feelings for her. Hopefully, when my memories come back I'll stop loving her like _that_ , but nothing is sure.

But anyways… I should really get some sleep. Tomorrow will surely be a busy day, what with the "attack of the Northerner" and all that. I just hope for a dreamless sleep, without random memories and scandalous fantasies.

* * *

I wake up to a loud thump and a pained moan. It takes me a few seconds to open my eyes, and a few more to get used to the intense light coming from the window, but when I'm finally able to see clearly and search for whatever pulled me out of my sleep, I realize startled that the bed is empty. But Anna's side is still warm, so where…?

Before I can panic about the queen disappearing during the night, I hear a groan and see a literal lion's mane of red hair emerge from her side of the bed… followed by Anna's body clad in my spare nightgown.

"… Anna?" I ask, a part of me not believing she really is the victim of such a bad case of bed hair. Or that she just fell from the bed and woke me up, for that matter.

"Mmmmh…. Morning." She mumbles, practically dragging herself back into bed, keeping her eyes closed. And she collapses next to me, promptly proceeding to start snoring in a very adorable way… apparently already having fallen asleep.

"Uh… Anna?" I say, shaking her slightly. I really don't want to wake her up, not with how cute she looks laying on her stomach and drooling all over my pillows behind a mountain of tangled hair, but it's probably already late in the morning, and people may start worrying if she's not in her room, more so after last night's supposed attack by a Northerner.

"I'm awake!" She starts, bolting up into a crawling position, and making me jump a little too. Then, she looks around, disoriented, as if trying to make sense of what she's seeing.

"I'm not in my room." It's the first thing she says after what feels like a minute of her just trying to make her mind work after having just woken up.

"No, you're in _my_ room, remember?" I say, raising an eyebrow and patiently waiting for Anna to process the information.

"Your room?" She tilts her head like a confused puppy, but a second later her eyes widen and she seems to realize what she's doing here. "Oh! That's right, the icy incident!" I try not to cringe, remembering my little outburst from last night, but I only partially succeed. "There were no more leaks right?" She asks me with an expression of slight concern. "I mean, the temperature has apparently gone back to normal."

"No, Anna, everything is quite alright." I say, omitting the fact that I had some weird dreams that almost caused me to freeze my room once more (and trying not to blush at the thought of my little fantasy). "Well, except my head." I admit. "I think I'm a bit hungover."

"You shouldn't have drank that much." She chastises me with an adorable authoritarian look on her face, but when I just smile shyly, silently admitting she's right, the redhead's face adopts a playful expression. "I mean, considering you pretty much kidnapped the queen when she was dancing with a very handsome man, then retained her all night and stepped on her toes, and finally threw a pretty big and icy tantrum when said queen decided to stop dancing, I think I'll make an official decree saying you're not to be allowed near alcohol ever again!"

Though she said all of that so it was obvious she was just teasing me, I still end up blushing and burying my head between my hands in embarrassment. Being sober I would _never_ have done any of that! Especially dragging Anna away from that man who had a clear interest on her. I mean, what if she also was interested in him? Like, in a romantic way?

Just the thought of it makes my blood boil in jealousy all over again.

No, I don't regret anything that happened last night, but I can still be mortified about it, right?

"Hey, it's okay." Anna says, clearly amused by my reaction, as she tries to get my hands of my face. "I actually think it's quite endearing, and I'm not the slightest bit mad at you."

"You forget there's a huge problem, about a Northerner supposedly attacking us during the ball, that you're gonna have to solve." I remind her, thought my voice is muffled by my hands.

"If that's the price I have to pay in order to dance with you, I don't mind." She answers gently, being so characteristically loving and endearing. I doubt she's ever been rude with anyone, and that only makes my heart swell with love for her… which wouldn't be bad if my feelings were strictly platonic.

"You mean it?" I ask, even if I already know the answer, finally lowering my hands and looking at her eyes, trying (and failing) not to be hypnotized by them. They're just so pretty!

"Yes." She assures me, and I can't help frowning a little at that; even if I'm glad she doesn't mind what happened, I still think that, as a queen, she shouldn't take this so lightly.

"Anna…" I start, but she raises her hand and glares at me.

"No. Quit the worrying." She commands, and I'm about to protest when she gives me a warning glance. "I mean it. Stop worrying or I'll have to force you to smile."

I'm about to ask how exactly she's going to do that, when suddenly I feel her fingers dig into my ribs, and before I know it, I'm squirming and laughing like crazy, desperately trying to get away from her and regain my breathing, but I can't! I'm too ticklish!

"Anna! Stop!" I scream between laughs, but she doesn't relent, laughing herself at my desperate attempts to get away from her merciless attack. "Anna, please!" I say, almost out of breath.

"Never!" She answers, trying to make her voice sound intimidating, but in that very moment I accidentally kick her knee, making her lose balance and fall completely on top of me, her face inches apart from mine.

We fall silent all of the sudden, sensing some kind of weird tension in the air that wasn't there before. Like we're waiting for something, and we both know what, but just won't acknowledge it or act upon the feeling we're experiencing. Or even comment about it.

I try to avoid looking into her eyes, but my gaze simply deviates towards her lips and, remembering the weird dream I had last night, all I want is to close the distant and… kiss her. There. I just admitted it (even if just in my head). I want to kiss Anna.

Before I can do something stupid and ruin my life forever, though, the door suddenly opens, and Gerda walks in, talking in a way that makes clear she's worried about something.

"Elsa, wake up, the queen is…!" She stops dead in her tack when she sees us, and I realize the _very_ compromising position we're in; Anna is laying on top of me, between my legs, with her hands on both sides of my head, while my own hands are resting on her waist… and it probably looks like we're about to kiss.

Anna seems to realize this too, because she quickly sits up and laughs nervously, pulling a stand of hair behind her ear (which is ridiculous considering her hair is a complete disaster).

"Oh. Gerda." She gives her a tense smile. "What are you doing here?"

"What am _I_ doing here? What are _you_ doing here, young lady?" The maid shots back, walking until she's standing at the side of my bed and looking at the queen like she's a misbehaving child. "Everyone is looking for you! They think the Northerner abducted you!"

"That's… uh… that's bad." Anna admits, wincing.

"Yes. And Princess Rapunzel is leaving in an hour, and you're supposed to accompany her to her ship." Gerda reminds her, but then looks at me, and I realize what she just said was for the both of us.

"Oh, that's right!" Anna exclaims, promptly jumping out of bed and taking the things she left on a chair last night. "I have to get ready!" And with that, and an apologetic look in my direction, she bolts out of the room (but probably just to avoid being chastised like a child in front of me, more than to avoid being late to Rapunzel's departure).

At this, Gerda just shakes her head, partially amused, like she'd expected such a thing from Anna, and partially worried about her child-like demeanor. Then, she turns to me, her gaze softening a little bit.

"Get ready, I'll bring you some tea and honey bread for breakfast." She says.

"Thank you, Gerda." I answer, trying to cover the embarrassment I feel at having been discovered in such a compromising position with the queen herself. She seems to notice my embarrassment though, because she gives me a knowing glance before exiting the room.

I sigh and bury my face in my hands. Concealing my feelings for the beautiful redheaded monarch will be more difficult than I thought.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi. I hope you liked this chapter, because I sure had a lot of fun writing it, especially Elsa's dream. I hope it wasn't too confusing XD.**

 **Anyways, I'm kinda injured right now (nothing serious, don't worry), so I don't know when I'll be able to update again, so be patient okay? Thank you for reading, and see you soon (I hope).**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15.**

"I'm gonna miss you. Both of you." Rapunzel says, standing in front of her ship as she looks at both the Queen and me, a sad smile gracing her otherwise exuberant face. It is already around noon, but despite the summer sun shining brightly in the sky, a light breeze coming from the mountains makes it the perfect sailing weather. At least for most people; I honestly prefer the cold but… I guess that's quite an unpopular opinion, so I don't dare using my powers to cool down the air around me.

"Awww! I'll miss you too." Anna says before pulling her cousin in a crushing hug. "Promise me you'll visit soon." She releases the brunette as she says this, alternating her gaze between her and Eugene.

"Sure. I would love to see Elsa drunk again. That was fun!" He exclaims, looking teasingly at me. I just pout and consider pouring a bit of snow inside his shirt.

"I'm going to make you pay for that." Anna retorts glaring playfully at him. "Now I have a not-so-little situation to get under control before it escalates further."

"It isn't that bad, is it?" I ask, worrying about the repercussions my actions from last night could have, not only on me personally but on other ice-wielders as well. I hope I didn't worsen the conflict by fanning people's paranoia.

"No, everything will be fine, you'll see." The redhead answers playfully, but in her eyes there's a slowly growing sense of dread. She's no doubt anxious about having to face the council and try to explain last night's sudden drop in temperature without revealing my identity or starting a witch hunt. I still don't know how we'll manage to pull it off.

"Yeah, don't worry about it, Elsa." Eugene tries to cheer me up too, probably in part due to the fact that this whole mess is partially his fault. "And if someone gives you trouble, you can always turn them into some incredibly realistic looking ice-statues for the royal garden." This last statement makes a small carefree smile appear on my face for the first time since Anna left my bedroom earlier this morning.

"They would look nice." Rapunzel chuckles, but she most realize that I'm still worrying about it, because she soon pulls me into a hug and tries to reassure me. "Everything will work out, don't worry. And even if it doesn't, you'll always be welcomed in Corona."

"Thank you." I answer, truly grateful for her offer, but I know I wouldn't want to live apart from Anna if I can help it. Even if that means facing a whole kingdom that hates people like me. "I'll take that into consideration."

"Your highness." The captain suddenly says, from the ship's deck, making Rapunzel release me as we all turn to look at him. "I'm sorry, but it's time."

"Thank you, captain. We'll come on board shortly." The princess answers, at which the captain gives her a nod before retiring to deliver some orders to the sailors.

"Okay then. I guess this is the part where we say goodbye." Eugene says, extending his hand for me to take, something I appreciate. Truth to be told, I'm not a very touchy person, and though I like Anna's hugs and tolerate Rapunzel's, I prefer to keep a little more distance with others.

"I guess it is." I answer, taking his hand and smiling at the prince. "Take care."

"Will do." He promises, before turning to Anna and opening his arms as an invitation to hug, which Anna immediately does.

"Don't get in too much trouble, you crook." The queen says playfully when they separate.

"Me? Please, _you_ are the queen of trouble." He answers.

"Your highness…" The captain calls once again, but Rapunzel interrupts him.

"Yes. I know." She sighs, and then turns to look at us, her gaze slightly saddened. "I'm sorry. We _really_ have to go, but we'll come back soon, I promise."

"It's alright." Anna says, though she looks equally sad about their departure. "Now go, before they leave without you."

They both just chuckle at her ridiculous statement and, after Rapunzel has hugged us one more time, they get on their ship.

We wave them goodbye and watch them go until their vessel is but a small point on the horizon. Is in that moment that I know I'm _really_ going to miss them.

* * *

"Hey, Elsa." Anna calls to me from the other seat in the carriage, making me tear my gaze of the rather lovely and interesting sight of people just living their lives happily to look at a much better one: the Queen. My heart literally does a little dance inside my chest every time my eyes land on her.

"Yes?" I ask, giving her a little smile (as if I could ever do anything but smile when Anna is around).

"I need to pay a quick visit to one of the nobles that attended to the party last night. I heard she almost had a heart attack!" She explains, looking slightly concerned. "I just want to make sure she's okay, so this won't take long. But…" She pauses, making a face. "She'll probably say some rather nasty things about Northerners, so I think it's better if you wait here. Is that okay with you?" She casts me a rather apologetic look, like she doesn't really like the idea of just leaving me here on my own, but knows that's probably necessary. And of course, how could I ever say no to Anna, much less regarding something like this?

"Don't worry, Anna. That's quite alright." I answer with a kind smile. "I think last night I dealt with enough nobles for a lifetime, so I would prefer to stay here."

"Great." She breathes, obviously relieved I didn't take offense on that, and after that we fall silent until we arrive at her destination, which actually wasn't all that far. Then she assures me once more that she won't take long, before exiting the carriage and approaching a large mansion accompanied by two of her guards.

I just stay there, trying to pass the time by observing the people that pass through the streets, and I have to say it's a pretty interesting activity. I end up watching a couple fight over some petty thing and then make up when they realize it's not worth it, a child throwing a tantrum because his mom won't buy him a toy, a group of about ten children playing hide and seek (and hiding in the most ridiculous places), a man with a basket, selling the most amazing-smelling variety of bread… There's just a lot to see here. At least for me, since I don't really remember having ever watched something like this.

However, after a just few minutes observing, I realize something's happening. Something _bad_.

Some people start retreating to their houses after hearing what other people tell them, but I'm too far away to hear what it is. Others (which are the majority), start rushing to some place out of my sight. I, however, fight the impulse to get out and follow them, at least until Anna comes back. But curiosity is killing me! And so, when I finally hear what they're saying, I decide to exit the carriage and follow them.

"Ice-wielders! Ice-welders have been captured in the central plaza!" Is the news a handful of men are spreading, so _of course_ I flat out ignore the guards trying to stop me and rush to follow the crowds of people, wondering if what they said is true and, if it is, what implications it might have.

Are they _really_ ice-wielders? Did they escape the Northern Lands? Or have they secretly been living in Arendelle the whole time? How were they discovered? Are they good or evil people? Did they come here to kill and pillage as did many before them?

There are so many questions inside my head that for a moment I think it's going to explode. However, they all vanish as soon as I make my way trough the crowd and to the central plaza, because I'm met with a scene that's very concerning and not at all what I was expecting.

Kneeling there, bound by heavy pairs of ice-proof shackles, are about fifty men and women of very different ages, and… despite their blond hair and blue eyes none of them are ice-wielders. I know this because the shades of both their hair and their eyes aren't as pale as they'd be if they had powers. Around them, a circle of Arendellian soldiers prevents anyone from reaching them. And more than a few people are trying to do just that (I'm guessing their friends and family).

In the crowd people are talking, clearly confused. Some are trying to talk to the soldiers, and a few are yelling at them, demanding them to release the prisoners and insulting them when they are just shoved aside.

But this is a mistake! Those people don't have powers at all! Yes, they are blond, but their hair isn't as pale as mine. And sure, their eyes are blue, but it's not as if that was an uncommon color in Arendelle to begin with. It's clear as day this is a grave injustice, so why don't they free them?

Without stopping to considering the possible consequences of what I'm about to do, I go to the nearest guard and, with the most authority I can muster, I speak to him (though maybe _yell_ might be more accurate).

"What are you doing? Release them this very instant!" I glare at him as intimidatingly as I can, but he just gives me a bored look.

"I'm sorry, madam, but I can't do that. According to the law, once captured, ice-wielders shall be exiled." He says that like I'm the tenth person he's told those words to today. Of course, his words only serve to infuriate me.

"Those are not ice-wielders! They just happen to have blond hair and blue eyes, which in case you haven't noticed, are quite common in Arendalle!" By this point, the magic inside my veins is so agitated, I fear I won't be able to keep it in, but I take a few deep breaths to calm down and not make this worse. I don't want a situation like those in my dreams to happen again, after all. Thankfully, I'm wearing my gloves, and the few magical sparks that manage to escape remain hidden inside them.

"That is to be decided by General Haugen." He answers coldly, obviously upset at being questioned by me.

"And _where_ is this General Haugen? Let me talk to him." I pretty much demand.

"He won't speak with you, or anyone else. So _back off_." The soldier answers, obviously angry at my attitude, but I couldn't care less.

"Listen, _soldier_ , do you have any idea of who I am?" I retort, trying to appear intimidating, but unfortunately he doesn't even flinch, and just keeps looking at me with that bored expression.

"Should I?" He raises an eyebrow.

"Of course you should! I'm the Quee… " I catch myself before saying something stupid. "T-the Queen's counselor." I correct with a stutter, trying not to think too much about the implications of what I almost said as an automatic response. I have no time to ponder it right now.

"Well, _counselor_." He starts, with obvious disdain in his voice. "Forgive me, but you obviously have no authority over me or anyone else. You just give _counsel_." The way he says that last word, makes my blood boil with anger, but when I try to open my mouth to give him a piece of my mind, he interrupts me. "And I suggest you keep your counsel to yourself."

In that moment all I want is to freeze him and be done with this, but… unfortunately that would only serve to get _me_ captured, instead of freeing the prisoners, which (I have to remind myself) is my main goal. And so, I swallow my anger and try a slightly more diplomatic approach.

"Well, if you're not going to let me talk to the General, can I at least see your direct supervisor?" I ask, but just as I'm saying that, a man appears behind the soldier I'm talking to, and I recognize him as a member of Anna's council. He's wearing a blue military uniform and has his long gray beard perfectly trimmed, as the last time I saw him. If I recall correctly, he's the highest authority when it comes to the military, and… he really hates ice-wielders. And he's weary of me, even if he doesn't know who I truly am. Great.

"Baroness Elsa." He addresses me with a nod of his head, which I acknowledge with a nod of my own, waiting to see what he'll say before talking, so I can choose my words more carefully. "If I remember correctly, last time we met it was decided you'd be in a period of probation, before the decision about you taking the position as Queen Anna's counselor was made. So, unless something has changed since then, I'd say you have no real position or authority in this matter."

His strict voice is actually pretty scary, and I'm tempted to just apologize and go in search of Anna so she can deal with this, but… I can't. I need to save these people, and if to do that I have to confront this man, well… then I guess I'll have to swallow my fear and hold my ground.

"That would be correct." I admit reluctantly, since there's no point in arguing about that. "I just didn't feel like explaining the whole situation." That hardly sounds like an excuse, much less one a man like him will accept, but it's better than not giving an excuse at all, I guess.

"General Haugen." The soldier with who I'd been talking up until that point finally addresses his superior with a salute, before informing him about the situation. "As you ordered, we captured every citizen that could theoretically be an ice-wielder. However, the people are giving us trouble." He shoots me a glance when he says the last part, and I decide this is as good as a moment as any to try and convince the General to free the prisoners.

"Maybe because you've made a terrible mistake." I say with a scowl, then turning to the General and changing my previously accusatory tone to a more neutral one. "These people are obviously not ice-wielders, so I suggest you let them go before you end up with a rebellion on your hands." I'm not sure if what I said is true, but people do seem pretty upset, and I saw more than a few of them holding domestic utensils like they were weapons, so… yes, I'd say there's at least a possibility of there being a riot here in the near future.

"Listen, _child_." He spits out the last word like an insult. And in his mind it might as well be; he's trying to make me feel inferior due to his far greater experience. "I've been dealing with those weirdos for more than thirty years now, and I know they can be as sneaky and deceiving as snakes, which led me to believe some might be hiding amongst us without anyone knowing it. And yes, they _might_ look like normal people, but that's the point of blending in, right?" He pauses, looking at them with both weariness and hatred. "Some may not have magic, and after proving that, I'll let them go. The others, however, will be condemned and executed, since they were probably behind last night's attack."

"But don't you think that the entire situation is weird? That after living peacefully and unnoticed in Arendelle for so many years, they suddenly decided to attack the castle?" I question, hoping to make him see reason, since he at least seems calmer than his subordinates (probably because he hasn't been dealing with angry people all morning). "Plus, how are you even going to prove they're ice-wielders? You're going to ask them to do magic and release them if they don't?"

"Of course not." He scoffs at my question. "Magic is tied to emotions, right? Well, let's just say a bit of induced stress or pain will be enough for me to know if they have powers." He smirks cruelly, like he's already imagining executing those he deems guilty. "I've known some ice-wielders that were rather good at hiding their true nature, and even they cracked after a few hits."

I'm not able to repress a rather loud gasp at his words, as I finally understand the implications of what he's saying.

"You're going to torture them?!" I exclaim, horrified. "It doesn't matter if they're ice-wielders or not, that's just inhumane!"

"I really hate when women get all sentimental about things like this." He says contemptuously. "That's why they shouldn't have positions of power. They just don't understand some sacrifices must be done for the greater good."

At this, my already unstable magic grows even more agitated, and the internal part of my gloves covers with a layer of frost that grows thicker every second. Some of that magic also escapes through the gloves and cools down the area around me by couple of degrees. I just hope they think it's due to a cold wind coming from the mountains, and not magic. Still, I can't bring myself to care. I'm too focused on this jerk to think about anything else.

"Listen, you…" I'm about to say some very nasty words to him, but I realize it's probably not a good idea, and interrupt myself in the last second, taking a couple of deep breaths in order to calm down. I can only do it partially though. "You know nothing about sacrifices! And torture and violence against innocent people can't _ever_ be justified!" As I say this, I remember some of the scenes I saw on my dreams; the Arendellian soldiers killing us, torturing us like we were nothing. No. No matter how dangerous magic can be, it doesn't justify the army's actions against us. And certainly not against powerless people who were just living their lives in peace. "You're a monster! _You_ should be condemned, tortured and exiled, not us!"

Startled, I realize what I said a little too late. And I also realize I yelled, meaning pretty much all the people around me heard. But I don't let myself panic, seeing the question written in everyone's faces, and instead decide to turn and address the crowd, taking opportunity on the sudden silence.

"That's right, I said _us_." I affirm looking to a point over the people's heads in order not to be intimidated by the sheer size of the circle around me, and maintain a firm tone of voice. "I said us because, yes, today they captured around fifty people just because they have blond hair and blue eyes. But if we let this slide, tomorrow they might start capturing every person who is even the slightest bit different, or that doesn't agree with what the authorities say. Anyone and everyone could be sent to jail, or at worse _executed_ , just because we let ourselves be led by fear." I pause, letting my words sink in, and smiling internally when I see they're all listening attentively to my every word.

"These people are your neighbors, your friends, your _family_." I continue. "You know them, you've talked to them, and you surely know that they're not bad people." I pause, choosing very carefully my next words. "Fear has dominated this nation for too long. Fear has led Arendelle to lose a great portion of its territory and a few thousand of its people, and for what? Has that really protected us? How many soldiers have died since the king imposed that law? How many children, both here and in the Northern Lands, were orphaned?" I see some people shift uncomfortably and mumble like they disagree with me, but I don't let this discourage me.

"I know this is a rather unpopular opinion, but fear can be really destructive when taken to the extreme." I say, hoping they'll see reason. "Don't let fear dominate this prosperous nation. We need to remain united, or else we'll destroy each other."

After I finished talking, a few seconds of silence followed, but for me they seemed like ages. I realize what I said was rather subversive, and I realize many probably won't agree with me, more so considering I'm not really an authority figure at this moment. Heck, they probably don't have any idea of who I am! This is stupid. Why couldn't I keep my mouth shut?

To my surprise, however, when they appear to have fully digested my words, many start murmuring with each other, while others look at my general direction with determination and anger. At first I fear they may be angry at _me_ , but when some start shouting things like "Yes, let them go!" or "This is unfair, they're innocent!", I realize their anger is directed towards the General.

Apparently, my little improvised speech really motivated them and inspired them, because now the ones that were just looking the scene with curiosity, and even some that were probably just hoping to see "justice" imparted over the ice-wielders, are protesting against the soldiers' actions.

When a bunch of people even start trying to push past the soldiers and free the prisoners, forcing the soldiers to shove them away forcefully and form a firmer barricade, I'm so astounded I don't know what to do. I never thought I could have such a powerful influence on people who don't know who I am and many of which double my age. And yet… they listened to me like a leader. Sure, they probably don't agree with my views about the Northerners, but they recognize the rest of what I said actually makes sense. They recognize I'm just trying to help!

A rather hard pull on my left arm interrupts my thoughts. I turn to yell at the person, but the hard look on the General's eyes shuts my mouth instantly.

"Look at what you've done!" He says angrily, pointing to the mass of people trying to get past the soldiers, only to get hurt in the process. "Now even more people are going to suffer. Is that what you wanted?"

I try not to make my fear of him obvious, but still cringe a little at the scene around us. No, I didn't want people to get hurt at all.

"No, I'm just trying to make things right!" At my words, his hand clamps more firmly around my arm, and I have to suppress a pained groan.

"Right for who?!" He yells so loudly and scarily, this time I can't help but I cower in fear. "For us? Or for _your_ kind?" The way he says this, leaves pretty clear what he's referring to by saying "my kind", but I still decide to play dumb.

"What kind?" I say though gritted teeth.

"I think you know." He casts a glance to my gloves, on which a few ice crystals have formed. Sure, it isn't obvious, and most people wouldn't notice, but… I think he did. He said he'd dealt with ice-wielders for many years after all. Instantly, a knot forms inside my stomach, and my magic agitates even more, ready to defend me if necessary.

I look at his left hand taking hold of his sword's hilt, and instantly I prepare to release some magic with my right hand, but before either of us can make a movement, a familiar voice is heard above all the noise, making us turn and search for the source.

"Stop!" Anna yells as she makes her way through the crowd, and towards where we are standing. Her guards thankfully make the process quicker and smoother than it would have been otherwise. "Everyone. Stop Right Now!" She yells again, this time louder, and everyone (both soldiers and citizens) stop hitting each other and fall to their knees at the Queen's order.

I don't think I've ever been happier to see Anna in my entire life! She's going to put an end to this madness.

"Your majesty." The General bows after reluctantly letting go of my arm. I fight the urge to rub the sore spot in an attempt to ease the pain.

"General." Anna answers with a tone that makes it clear she isn't happy with him. "Release those people this very instant!" She commands with as much authority she can muster, but considering she's a good five inches smaller and many decades younger than the General, it's quite difficult to see her as the one with the power here.

"With all due respect, your majesty, these are ice-wielders. They attacked the palace last night, and need to be dealt with before even more people are hurt." He tries to convince her, and if I didn't know Anna, I'd make my arguments as well, but if I had to guess, I'd say the Queen thinks very much like me on this matter.

"With all due respect, General, they are quite clearly not ice-wielders. And even if they were, you'd have to have proof before capturing them." She pauses, glaring daggers at him, obviously as upset at his actions as I am. I try not to smile too smugly, but I can't say I succeed. "Plus, no one attacked the castle last night; the Northerner I took in simply had a small panic attack, which unfortunately caused her powers to spike out of control. But everything is fine now; I verified it myself."

"You would know this if you had consulted me before making a decision that negatively affects the lives of Arendelle's citizens. And in the future, I suggest you speak with me personally before doing anything as radical as this."

"But your majesty…" He tries to protest once more, only to be interrupted by Anna.

"Now, release them! That's an order." The Queen says, and this time the General only hesitates for a second before giving the order to the soldiers guarding the prisoners. Of course, he can't disobey a direct order from the Queen, even if I have a feeling he would if he had a choice.

Soon, the now-freed prisoners go to reunite with their friends and family, not before stopping to thank both Anna and me, as the rest of the people cheer for us. And for a moment, I think everything's right and I can just relax and forget about this incident. However, just after the General orders his men to retire, he stops by my side and whispers in my ear.

"You don't fool me. I'll be keeping an eye on you."

And then he's gone, leaving me with a feeling of doom in my stomach.

* * *

 **A/N: Yes, I updated sooner than I intended, but that was solely because I ignored the doctor's instructions (and I'm regretting it** _ **hard**_ **), so don't expect another update soon. That said, if you liked this chapter, please leave a review and favorite/follow if you haven't. It'll encourage me to keep writing despite not being able to use one hand :P**

 **Thanks for reading and see you (not so) soon :)**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16.**

The meeting with Anna's council to discuss the drop in temperature of last night went well enough, all things considered. Sure, there were some difficulties at first, as most of them were paranoid and terrified of another assault. They tried to make Anna go along with General Haugen's proposal of capturing and interrogating everyone who live in close proximity to the castle and looked even remotely like an ice-wielder. Thankfully the Queen was eventually able to convince them that it wasn't necessary, and the whole "attack" was just an unfortunate incident regarding the Northerner refugee living in the castle.

Of course, this made them immediately demand that Anna either exile or execute the Northerner, but after over an hour of constant argument they realized they had no hope of changing Anna's mind, especially since I was clearly on her side. Finally, they reduced their demands to interrogating the Northerner in person, and unfortunately we had to agree to calm them down a little. I still don't know how we're supposed to do that if we want to keep my secret intact.

But more worrying of all, is that General Haugen didn't voice his suspicions about me being an ice-wielder, and yet he kept eying me the whole meeting. I'm willing to bet he has a plan to expose my true nature in front of everyone, so then there would be no doubt of who I really am. I'll have to be careful about that.

And even worst, is that the General wanted to talk to Anna in private after the meeting ended, probably to try and see if she's aware of my powers. I just hope the redhead doesn't say anything to fuel his suspicions. She does have a tendency to talk without thinking.

But anyways. There's one good thing about this whole mess; Anna told me to wait for her in her study. That's right. I'm finally gonna see the Queen's study! (not that I haven't seen it before, but I was feeling like dying back then). The place where Anna spends most of her days, and where the most important decisions of this kingdom are made.

I have to say, it's quite lovely, and it even has a cute sign outside that reads: "The Queen's studio". Though it's a bit different to what I was expecting. Knowing Anna I'd thought she'd decorate it with portraits of her family, or at least beautiful landscapes. But no. There's a just a single picture representing the North Mountain in beautiful tones of blue and white.

Though to be fair, the window is huge (actually, is more of a small balcony than a window), and wide open, with a beautiful view over the fjord. And there are some flowers at her desk, and some rather colorful cushions on a red sofa, all of which reflect Anna's bright personality. And her desk and bookcase are all messy, with papers lying everywhere without any order, and books thrown carelessly here and there, something I also expected from the young redhead.

I feel a strong impulse to put some order in here, but I refrain myself; I don't want to mess with Anna's things, more so considering some of the information contained on these papers is surely classified.

So, I decide to sit on the couch in front of her bookcase, and watch the beautiful landscape that can be seen from the window behind her desk, as I take off my wig and proceed to put my real hair up on my signature braid (a hand-mirror and a brush made of ice make the process a lot easier), while I wait for Anna to arrive. She doesn't take more than a few minutes though, and she comes in with a tray full of sweats and chocolates. I guess that's her idea of a healthy meal (not that I'm complaining; after everything that's happened today, I could really use some sugar).

"Hey." She says, setting the tray atop her desk, not caring about the documents being squished and wrinkled by it. "I figured you'd be hungry, so I stopped by to bring us some snacks."

"Why didn't you just ask a servant to deliver them here?" I ask as I approach, taking one delicious-looking muffin and eating it, while Anna picks up a chocolate cookie.

"Because I don't want anyone to freak out about a Northerner being in the Queen's studio?" She answers, raising an eyebrow like it's obvious. I guess she is starting to know me rather well. Or at least she's starting to realize just how much I hate this wig. I can't help feeling both impressed and flattered that Anna's been putting so much attention towards my actions.

"How did your talk with General Haugen go?" I ask, changing the subject as I now take a cookie that tastes just as good as did the muffin. At my question, the Queen grimaces, like her chocolate suddenly doesn't taste as good.

"Pretty bad." She admits, lowering her gaze.

"Let me guess. He suspects I'm a Northerner." I say, knowing full well that's what the General wanted to talk about with Anna even before she says anything.

"How did you know?" She asks, surprised.

"Well… I gave him pretty good reasons to suspect just that." I answer, feeling rather guilty. All our efforts to keep up this 'Coronan noble' lie are now in danger all because I couldn't conceal my powers.

"At least he doesn't have proof… _yet_." She answers, managing to sound pessimistic and optimistic in the same sentence.

"If he made me angry in front of everyone again, he'd have all the proof he needs." I answer, pretty much glaring at my hands, silently berating myself for not having more control over my powers.

"Hey, it's not your fault." Anna tries to make me feel better, placing her hand over my shoulder in a comforting gesture. "I'm sure if I had powers, I'd have frozen the entire kingdom as soon as I saw him taking innocent people as prisoners." She adds, giggling at her own statement, but that doesn't even make me smile. If anything, it just worries me more, because it reminds me of another concerning issue.

"But I was wearing gloves. Before this morning, they had been pretty effective in keeping my powers in check under any circumstance." I voice out my concerns. "It's almost like…" I interrupt myself before finishing that thought; it's too terrible to be said out loud.

"What?" Anna asks, obviously realizing I'm keeping something very important to myself. "What is it?" She prompts again, her eyebrows furrowing in worry. And, as tempting as it is to keep it secret, telling Anna about this is something I most definitely should do, if I want to succeed in concealing my magic.

"I-I…" I sigh, closing my eyes and hugging myself as I voice out my thoughts. "I think my magic gets stronger every day." I admit, almost whispering. But the moment the words come out of my mouth, I know them to be absolutely true. When I first arrived here, I could barely make my room slightly colder if I concentrated enough, and only used gloves because Anna insisted, not because I thought I could lose control of my powers. Also, the first time I had a nightmare I didn't freeze a thing, while the second time… well, I pretty much covered the entire hallway in ice.

How didn't I realize this sooner? I don't know. Maybe the transition was so gradual I only noticed the increase in my powers when they went out of control. But, if this goes on…. I don't even want to think of what could happen. Right now I feel capable of easily covering the entire capital of Arendelle _and_ the fjord in snow if I so desire, but if my powers keep growing at this rate… what will I be capable of in a week? Or a month? Just the thought makes me shudder in fear.

"But… that's impossible." Anna says, interrupting my thoughts. "You're a full-grown adult, which means your powers are supposedly entirely developed at this point."

"What?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. I never heard something like that.

"Well, there haven't been any real studies made about this." The Queen explains. "But the soldiers that have served at the Northern Lands reported that people who become ice-wielders earlier in life are often more powerful than the ones who transform shortly before becoming adults. Some theorize this is because magic grows together with the person's body."

"So no adult can become an ice-wielder?" I ask, surprised by this new information.

"No." She shakes her head. "The oldest person to gain magical powers, according to Arendelle's archive, was a seventeen-year-old boy, and one year later he still couldn't even produce ice; just make things colder, implying his powers didn't grow at all."

"But my powers _are_ growing." I protest. "I can feel it."

"Are you sure?" Anna asks, both concerned and doubtful.

"Yes, I am." I sigh, probably wishing more than the Queen that this wasn't true at all. I mean, my powers were already impressive a month ago, when I broke free of the ice-proof shackles, so now… they must be something beyond logic. And still growing.

"And I assume the more power you have, the more difficult it is to control it, correct?" Anna questions, and I can only nod with a sour expression, already realizing the implications of this before she voices them. "Then I guess it'll be very difficult, if not impossible, to keep your powers hidden too long."

"I can try." I answer, but even to my ears my voice doesn't sound convincing.

"But with General Haugen doing everything in his power to prove you're an ice-wielder, and the stress this implies, that doesn't seem likely." Anna muses out as a troubled expression appears on her face, and I don't dare contradict her, because deep down I know she's right. He's obviously dealt with ice-wielders before, and he'll surely find a way to prove I have magic sooner rather than later. But then what are we supposed to do?

"Maybe we can just… tell the truth?"

At Anna's unexpected and rather unreasonable proposal, I almost choke on the muffin I had just bitten into. When I recover, I look at her with wide eyes.

"Tell the truth? So they can kill me now instead of later?!" I pretty much yell in panic, but when I see Anna wince at my outburst, as well as a couple of snowflakes appearing over my head, I take a few deep breaths and calm down. "Sorry." I say.

"Don't be." Anna shakes her head, looking to the ground. "I know why you reacted that way, but… if we let General Haugen reveal your true identity to the people, it'll surely be in a way that makes you look like some dangerous monster. If we tell the truth instead, I could give a little speech, reveal my reasons behind the decision of you concealing you magic for so long, and make clear you're under my complete protection."

"They'll see me as a monster either way." I answer bitterly, hugging my midsection and looking out the window to the city of Arendelle. Suddenly, it doesn't look so beautiful and inviting anymore. "That's all I'll ever be to them, just because I was cursed with this… magic." I spat the last word, looking at my gloved hands with anger and resentment. And I know, deep down, that this isn't the first moment I wished I was born normal.

"You weren't cursed." I'm surprised to hear Anna's voice as I feel her hands taking mine. I try to take a step back out of pure instinct, but she doesn't let me. I look up and I'm met with her beautiful eyes, kind but concerned. And honest. And I cling to her every word. "You were _blessed_. I know that now."

"It's difficult to see it that way when all my powers have ever done is get me exiled and cause me problems." I argue.

"Yes, I know." Anna sighs sadly. "But I want to change that. I want to make it so ice-wielders don't have to be exiled anymore, and can be accepted by my people." She says with determination shining clear in her eyes. "Your little speech inspired me quite a lot." She adds, smiling. "You'd be a better Queen than me."

"Don't say that." I frown. "You're a great Queen, you… wait." I pause, realizing what she said before that. "You heard what I said?"

"Every word." She answers. "You were pretty spectacular. I almost wanted to grab a pitchfork and start a riot myself." She giggles cutely. I smile at that, imagining the Queen of Arendelle herself starting a rebellion together with her people. "But then I remembered I am the Queen and could release the prisoners just by saying one word. Like, seriously, where did you learn to speak like that?" At her question my face falls slightly, remembering what I dreamt about last night.

"I have strong reasons to believe I am the Ice Queen of the Northern Lands." I confess, sighing. "I had another dream."

"More memories?" She asks, obviously trying not to appear overly curious. And failing. I nod.

"Fragments of memories, actually." I close my eyes, grasping at the partially-fading memories, and trying to avoid thinking of my little fantasies. "In many of them it was obvious I was someone important in the court of the Northern Lands, though it wasn't clear if I was the Queen or not."

"So… you were bossing people around or something?"

"Something like that." I shrug, not wanting to go into detail.

"I'm sure you were a great Queen, if that's indeed true." She assures me, but I only partially manage covering up a grimace.

"You know what they say about the Ice Queen. The ruthless self-imposed monarch that rules The Northern Lands with an iron first." To my surprise, Anna only snorts in response.

"And they also say Northerners are cruel and dangerous murderers." She answers giggling. "Honestly, Elsa, if half of what they say was true, I'd be dead by now." I'm about to protest, saying it's different because the Northern Lands _are_ surrounded by a snowstorm all the time, which is proof of the Ice Queen's existence, but Anna interrupts me before I can even say a word. "What would you do if you were Queen of Arendelle?"

"I… what?" Is all I can say to her rather random question.

"If you were the Queen, not me, what would you do?" She repeats, eying at me with curiosity, but also as if she already knows the answer and is just trying to prove a point. I decide to indulge her.

"Well, I would declare void your father's rules about ice-wielders being exiled. I would give them equal rights to Arendelle's citizens. I would destroy the wall that separates the Northern Lands. I would… try to stop this nonsensical war."

"Exactly." Anna nods, as if she'd expected me to answer just that. "And I imagine that, if you were Queen of the Northern Lands, you'd want the same thing. Not taking over Arendelle, not having more power yourself, and not for ice-wielders to be seen as superior beings. Just to end this conflict."

"What are you trying to say? That I'm not the Ice Queen?" I raise an eyebrow, finding it difficult to believe that someone as powerful at me, with a position of power in the Northern Lands, could be something other than the Queen.

"What I'm saying, Elsa, is that even if you're the Ice Queen, you probably aren't an evil tyrant. I mean, isn't it far more likely you would come to Arendelle and talk to me, so we could come to a peace agreement, than spend so much time and effort maintaining a bloody and senseless war?"

"But then why did I go to Corona first?" I retort, refusing to believe Anna's words so easily even if I know she has a point.

"Maybe you wanted the monarchs to convince me to give you an opportunity, knowing you'd most likely be killed if you came directly to me." Anna shrugs. "But of course we can't know it until you get back your memories, so we should stop worrying about this, and instead focus on what we _can_ fix." Saying this, she puts aside the mostly-empty tray and goes to fetch something at her desk. Understanding this is the signal for me to start working, I follow her and look at the papers she's holding.

"I want you to revise the laws imposed by my father about ice-wielders. See if there's a flaw or a loophole we can use to defend you, in case your true identity is ever revealed." She explains. "And maybe also a way to revoke those laws without the council getting too mad about it."

"And what will you do?" I ask as I take the papers on my hands, finding it slightly weird she isn't doing something so important herself.

"Throw marriage proposals into the trash, mostly." She mumbles grumpily as she sits and grabs one letter, opens it and tosses it to the other side of the room after reading only one sentence.

"Shouldn't you answer?" I say, though my heart did a little happy dance at her words. I know it shouldn't be, but it's a relief knowing she has no interest on getting married. Or maybe she's already interested in someone and that's why she refuses the others? I have to consciously suppress a burst of magic at that thought.

"Oh, I did answer the first few times." She informs me, and I go to grab a chair to sit myself next to her as she keeps talking. "But they kept insisting, saying I need a man to help me rule the kingdom." She rolls her eyes. "I know even here in Arendelle most think I'm incompetent, but that doesn't mean I need a man to boss me around."

"You're not incompetent though." I protest automatically. "You just lack experience."

"Even more reason to burn them!" She exclaims, taking another letter and throwing it into a fire. "Plus, I know most of them, and they are selfish brats!" She's practically glowing with anger now, and I realize this must be a sensitive subject for her.

"Hey, I just say you should be a little more diplomatic, but I'm actually glad you don't want to marry." Only after the words escape my mouth, I realize what I said, and mentally chastise myself. I just hope she doesn't think anything of it.

"Yet." She corrects me. "I will only marry when I can find someone I love." She says with determination, but then her expression sadness and she mutters under her breath. "Though that didn't work out well for my parents."

"What?" I ask startled. I was under the impression that Anna's parents were a perfect and happy couple. The Queen just shrugs.

"They were in love, that much at least everyone knows." She starts explaining, even though I thought she wouldn't want to talk about it. "In front of everyone, they put up a façade, pretending to be a happy couple that never fought. And they were good parents, so they never argued in my presence, but…" She pauses, pursing her lips and frowning. "Walls aren't as thick as they thought, and their arguments weren't exactly silent. At first I didn't understand what they fought about, but then I realized they argued over ice-wielders."

"What?" I repeat, not believing that, of all things, this is what made the relationship between former monarchs tense.

"My mother was from Corona, and so she believed what my father did with the ice-wielders was unfair, especially considering most were exiled as kids." She sighs. "She also believed that, after marrying him and becoming Queen, she'd be able to change his views. But he was stubborn, and never listened." She then pauses, glancing at the single painting that hangs directly next to the door. "That's why they eventually started sleeping in different rooms, and having different studies."

"This one was your mother's?" I ask, glancing at the painting obviously representing the fact that she wasn't against ice-wielders. I'm guessing she's who Anna got her rather liberal and accepting views from.

"Yeah…" She answers, distracted and melancholic. Like she's lost in her memories. Memories that are bittersweet now, because her parents are dead. I have the sudden urge to give her a comforting hug, but decide against it; I don't want to accidentally reveal my feelings for her.

Instead, I try finding something to say, to reassure her that she's not alone. That, even though her parents are gone, there are still plenty of people who care about her. But the words elude me, and the silence stretches for a little too long, until Anna seemingly pulls herself out of her trance.

"We should get to work." She says suddenly, blinking away unshed tears and grabbing another letter.

I want to say something, maybe to alleviate a little the pain she feels, but… I'm afraid bringing up the subject again will only make it worse. So, instead, I say nothing and open the first scroll, wishing I could do something more to help the Queen.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm back! And I gave you the Chapter of Exposition. I hope it wasn't too boring, but believe me, everything that was said here will be of importance later on the story, so I couldn't just skip it and go to the fun parts :P**

 **Anyways, I hope you liked it, and that you leave a review if you did. Thanks for reading, and see you soon.**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17.**

" _Elsa? Wake up, wake up, wake up!" I hear between dreams, as I feel someone sitting atop me and shaking my shoulder, obviously trying to wake me up. I crack open one eye, and see it's still dark, so I close it again, with no intention of waking up soon._

" _Anna, it's still dark outside. Go back to sleep." I mumble angrily._

" _But I can't!" Saying this, she rolls around, so now she's completely lying on top of me. "The sky's awake, so I'm awake, so we have to play!"_

" _Play? What are you talking about? It's the middle of the night." I ask, as I tiredly turn around and open my eyes, only to see a very naked Anna kneeling in front of me. The darkness in my room does little to conceal her body, and I can only blush and look away in order to not give in to my carnal impulses._

" _I said wake up, Elsa."_

* * *

I open my eyes as I feel someone tickling my sides, and I squirm and desperately try to get away from the attack, while the laughter makes me fully wake up in an instant. In an attempt to end the merciless tickling I'm being victimized by, I impulsively throw up my hands and conjure a blast of cold wind, effectively sending the attacker flying off my bed and landing on the floor. Finally, I'm able to breathe and relax.

Then, I hear a pained grunt and look to see who I just threw off the… sofa? Huh. I guess I wasn't sleeping on my bed. Or my room, for that matter. I'm in the queen's studio, and the one I just blasted away was the queen herself.

"Oh my god! Anna I'm so sorry!" I say, getting up and rushing to help her up. As I do so, I notice she's not wearing the same clothes as yesterday, unlike me, and that instead she's wearing traveling clothes; a simple green dress and a brown cape. I guess she won't be working with me today.

"Don't worry, it's my fault." She says as she dusts off her dress. "I should have known better than to tickle a powerful ice-wielder." She giggles, and I do so too, glad that I didn't hurt her.

"Are you going somewhere?" I ask curious, suppressing a yawn.

"Yes. And you're coming with me." She answers with a mischievous smile. "I think we both earned a little vacation."

"Vacation? Are you crazy?!" I exclaim horrified. "Tomorrow we'll meet with the council, and we both know convincing them to remove your parents outdated laws won't be easy. I need to be ready! What if I missed something, I need…"

"You need to rest." Anna cuts me off, crossing her arms over her chest. "You've been working nonstop for five days straight, and have found every scrap of information you could possibly need to know. Twice." She pauses, taking my shoulders and looking straight into my eyes, oddly making me forget how to breathe for a second. "You even ended up falling asleep here last night! You're too stressed, and I need you to be relaxed and well rested tomorrow." She continues, squishing my shoulders and looking at me with pleading eyes. "Please, Elsa? I promise it'll be fun."

I'd like to say that even Anna's beautiful eyes and inviting smile won't be able to make me forget about my responsibility to work for making a better world for ice-wielders to live in, but… I'm only human. And so, I end up giving in with little to no resistance.

After taking a bath, getting dressed and having a quick breakfast, I meet with Anna at the stables, where a carriage and four guards are waiting for us, including Kristoff unfortunately. Then, it only took a couple of hours to get to our destination; a spot in the forest next to the road in the middle of nowhere. There, Anna tells the guards to wait for us (except Kristoff), takes my hand and starts guiding me through the trees.

During the ride here I tried asking her where we're going, but she refused to tell me, and even now I can't seem to imagine what we are doing in the middle of the forest, where bandits and wolves could be hiding. But I appreciate that it's a secluded place where I can take off my wig as soon as we're away from the guards.

Finally, she comes to a stop and turns to me with excitement clear on her face.

"Close your eyes." She instructs.

"Why?" I ask raising an eyebrow.

"Because I want it to be a surprise." She answers and then proceeds to stare expectantly at me, making it clear she won't move one inch until I close my eyes. I decide to promptly obey, being now accustomed to the queen's sometimes childish behavior (and finding it endearing), and follow her as she takes both my hands and guides me through the forest.

"I'd be careful if I were you." Kristoff says in a teasing tone beside me. "The first time she guided me after putting a blindfold over my eyes, I ended up hitting a pole with my face." He laughs, but Anna tightens her hold on me, obviously not amused.

"I was like fourteen! Okay? And I had to hurry before my father found out we'd left the castle." She protests, and I can totally imagine her pouting at my guard. I smile at that cute image.

"It still doesn't change the fact that it's your fault I can't get a girlfriend. My face is ruined!" Kristoff continues to tease the monarch.

"Hey! Your face was already pretty ruined without my help, thank you very much." Anna retorts, and I can't help laughing at that. I mean, Kristoff isn't exactly _ugly_ , I guess, but I wouldn't say he has a beautiful face. Though maybe that is because I prefer more feminine features. "And besides, the reason you can't get a girlfriend is because you smell like reindeer." Anna continues to tease him, and he only grunts in response.

"That… that still doesn't change the fact that you're terrible at guiding people." He finally decides to answer after a few seconds.

"What are you talking about? Of course I… Ooff." Before she can finish the phrase, she obviously hits something with her back, making me stumble and barely avoid crashing against her, only because she's firmly holding my hands.

"You were saying?" Kristoff says amused as he laughs loudly.

"S-shut up, you pungent reindeer king." Anna answers, embarrassed and amused at the same time. "Now, stay here. I want to be alone with Elsa." At her words, I can't stop a silly little smile from appearing in my lips, and the blood rushing to my cheeks. I know she didn't mean anything romantic by it, but… It doesn't hurt to dream.

After walking a few more feet, however, something changes. The sun hits my skin, and the light filters through my eyelids , and the smell passes from being just the acidic smell of pines to the sweet scent of flowers and herbs. I can also hear something like a river, or a waterfall, and I assume we just walked into a clearing.

That's where Anna stops and releases my hands. I instantly miss the contact, but I'm careful not to give anything away. Then, she steps aside and tells me to open my eyes. I do so, and see… something beautiful. Astounding, even.

It's a small waterfall that lands in a pond that then turns into a creek. The sun reflects on the clear water with such intensity my eyes hurt for a second and I have to squint a bit until I get used to the light. Around it, the clearing is surrounded by beautiful wild flowers of numerous colors and grass of the brightest green, and where the clearing ends, tall pines keep it hidden from the outside world.

For a few moments I don't say anything, just staring at it in awe. It's almost something out of a fairy tale. It's, perhaps, too romantic? I know this is probably just a little outing between friends, but the setting is something I'd consider very appropriate for a date. But… no, it can't be. I shouldn't get my hopes up if I don't want to get hurt.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Anna asks, wearing that characteristic carefree and joyful smile she has most of the time. Only one thought crosses my mind in that moment.

 _Not as beautiful as you._

"I have to admit, Anna, it really surprised me." I answer instead. "How did you find this place?"

"During one of my many escapes from the castle." She shrugs. "It's the perfect spot for a picnic, don't you think?"

On cue, Kristoff steps in carrying a basket he hadn't been carrying before (I guess he went back to the carriage to retrieve it) and gives it to Anna.

"Thank you, Kristoff." She answers, and then he nods and walks away, probably to hide between the trees again, not before giving me a warning glance that I respond to with an eye-roll.

After that, I help her set up the picnic next to the lake, which surprisingly doesn't take long. Then, we start eating and chatting about things. Well, Anna starts rambling about things, and I mostly listen and laugh at her silly comments. It's not like I have anything interesting to share, any memories I could tell her about. I wonder if I ever will.

Even if I regain my memory, will I have happy stories to share with her? Everything I've remembered so far has been bad or at least bittersweet. More so compared to Anna's funny and innocent tales about that time she fell into a pond trying to grab a duck, or when she'd go with her mother to the market and buy sweets while she wasn't watching (with money she'd stolen from her father). The stories I could tell her about would surely feature blood and suffering and injustice, all of which were at least partially her parents' fault.

No, I wouldn't want to tell her about those things. And I'd prefer not to ever get my memories back. Instead, I want to build new memories here with Anna. Happy and perfect moments just like this one; just the two of us laughing and talking, without a care in the world.

"Hey, Elsa." Anna says, interrupting my thoughts. "Do you know how to ice-skate?"

"Ice-skate?" I ask, intrigued at her sudden question. "I don't know. Maybe." I shrug. "Why?"

"Well, I always loved to skate in ice, even though the first few times I ended up falling on my butt." She answers giggling. "I was thinking that maybe you could use your super awesome ice powers to freeze the pond so we could skate?" At this, she looks up at me expectantly and battles her eyelashes, apparently trying to convince me solely through her charm. Unsurprisingly, it's working.

"What if someone sees?" I ask, trying to be the rational one here.

"No one ever comes here." She assures me. "And we have four loyal guards with us. Plus, it's not like you're exactly defenseless."

"But…"

"Please Elsa?" Anna insists, getting closer to me and softly touching my chest, her hand barely where it would be considered appropriate. I gulp, feeling a wave of excitement and nervousness pass trough my whole body as blood rushes to my cheeks. I then forget how to breathe when she gets even closer and whispers something in my ear. "Do it for me?"

"Uh… y-yes. Yes." I am barely able to answer. "I-I'll do it."

"Great!" She exclaims excitedly, letting go of me and getting up in one swift jump. "Come on, do the magic!" The smile she wears as she says this is so big and happy that I can't help thinking giving in is already worth it. So I just smile in return and shake my head in amusement.

"Okay, okay. I'll do it." I say as I get up and take a few steps towards the small pond.

I ready my power. Magic coming from positive emotions is much easier to control, I've found out lately, so if I focus on happy thoughts and let happiness itself fuel my magic it shouldn't get out of control. But I still have to be careful; one wrong thought could mean hurting someone. Even being _too_ happy could make me lose control. And worst of all, the line between safe and not safe gets blurrier each day.

But I should not worry about it. Even the smallest bit of anxiety can be dangerous. So, instead, I close my eyes and take a deep breath, getting rid of all worries as I let the picture of Anna's cute face take over my thoughts. I let the memory of her laughter fill me with merriment and joy, and only when I'm sure I won't lose control, I let those emotions transform into magic. But I hold it inside, and direct it to my feet, before opening my eyes and stepping onto the pond, instantly freezing a small area below my foot. Then, I continue fueling that magic until the whole surface of the pond, as well as the waterfall, has turned into ice.

"Wow." Anna gasps, and I turn to look at her, trying to contain how pleased and proud I am that she likes my little demonstration of power. "Have I ever mentioned that I love your magic?"

"No, but you still made it pretty clear." I answer with a smile, remembering the utter look of wonder she had when I first made her a little demonstration of what I can do, and seeing that same look reflected on her face right now.

"Well, I love your magic." She states as she walks to stand at the side of the pond and looks down to inspect the clear blue ice.

"That makes you the first." I mumble, but she still hears.

"I know more people would love it if they saw the beauty in it, and not only the danger." She answers, as always trying to defend my magic when even _I_ can see why people are scared of it. It still warms my heart to hear her say such things. "Now." She says loudly, deviating my attention when she looks down to her feet. "Skates. I guess they're necessary to skate, but I didn't bring mine." She gives me a sheepish smile. "Can't you make me a pair with magic?"

"Of course. Hold on." I say before concentrating again and very carefully releasing my magic. This one's trickier because I'm making a specific object with specific functionality materialize under Anna's shoes, and I have to put more attention to detail. However, I'm still able to do it with relative ease, and to repeat the process with my own shoes.

Once we're both wearing skates, we step into the frozen pond. Anna instantly stumbles and tries to regain her balance, but only succeeds when I grab her arm and stabilize her. That's when I notice that being on skates is actually pretty easy for me. Almost like walking. My equilibrium is perfect, and when I move forward I can do it with ease and elegance without a second thought. I can even spin and go backwards like it's no big deal, while Anna… she _can_ skate relatively well, but her coordination isn't perfect and sometimes she struggles to avoid falling.

Weird. I thought it'd be the other way around. Oh, well, I better help her before she ends up falling. It's totally not just an excuse to get closer to her.

"I thought you said you knew how to skate." I say teasingly as I approach her skating backwards. She looks at me and her eyes widen when she notices how easily I'm able to change directions as I get close to the waterfall and avoid hitting it without even turning to look and see it. The perks of being able to sense my own ice.

"S-shut up." She blushes, struggling to keep up with my speed, even when I reduce it a little as I go to skate next to her instead (and turn around so she won't feel I'm making fun of her for not being able to do what I do). "I bet with your magic you were able to practice ice-skating without waiting for winter. That's cheating."

"That's probably true." I chuckle. "Do you want me to show you?" Saying this, I extend my hand for her to take, feeling confident probably due to the joy it brings me to have regained this important part of me that is ice-skating.

"To skate backwards? And make a fool of myself? No thank you." Anna shakes her head, but she's still smiling and eying my extended hand, so I assume she wouldn't be opposed. Again relying on the surge of confidence the exhilarating experience of gliding through smooth ice without anything to stop me, I take her hand and guide her to the center of the pond before positioning myself in front of her and taking her other hand. The Queen doesn't protest beyond letting out a little yelp of surprise, and instead firmly grips my hands, boosting my confidence even more.

"Come on, it's not really that hard." I say, letting go of Anna's hands only to do a little turn in my place and grab them again. "Easier than dancing, actually."

"You only say that because you don't know how to dance." Anna deadpans, and I can only blush and give her a sheepish smile.

"Maybe." I shrug. "But regardless, it's not that hard." At this, I grip her hands even tighter and cautiously move backwards, making her stumble forward a little before regaining her position by getting into a rigid and tense posture. I frown at this.

"You have to relax." I instruct. "If you fear you'll fall, you surely will. Just… let it go."

"Easier said than done." Anna mutters through her teeth as she tries to follow me unsuccessfully. She's still too rigid.

"You said that dancing was all about relaxing and having fun with your partner, right?" I ask, trying to get her to concentrate in something other than her fear.

"Yeah? What about it?" She asks, raising an eyebrow. But at least she stops looking at her feet.

"Well, ice-skating is also about relaxing and having fun, either alone or with someone else." At this, I move forward, making her lose her equilibrium and grip tightly my hands with an expression of pure terror. "Don't think about what could happen, after all, in the worst case scenario you'll just fall, get a little bruise and get up again."

"I know but…" I place a finger on her lips to silence her.

"Follow my lead okay? Concentrate on me, on my movements. And trust me; I won't let you fall." I give her a reassuring smile, hoping this will be enough to ease her mood. And apparently it is, because she's soon smiling too, now looking much more relaxed.

"Okay, I trust you."

After that, I teach her to skate backwards, always firmly gripping her hands, and not letting her go until I'm absolutely sure she won't fall (and even then, I stay close enough to catch her). At first she loses her equilibrium every two seconds, and in more than one instance I fear we'll both end up hitting the ground, but at least she seems to be having fun. Confident that I won't let anything happen to her, she laughs freely and relaxes, looking at me all the time and trying to imitate my movements. Sure, there are some moments when she gets tense and scared, thinking she'll fall, but an observation on my part is enough to make her relax again.

Once she's managed to skate backwards three feet without me holding her and without falling on the hard ice, she asks me to teach her how to spin. And of course I agree happily. It's easier actually; I just hold her hands and do all the work. She follows my movements and laughs with merriment beyond compare. I'm almost as happy as when we were dancing. Actually, I could safely say that this has to be one of the happiest moments of my life; skating and having fun without a care in the world, forgetting about all my problems, and spending time with the most important and loved person in my life.

It's… It's actually like that one time. When… when I was also skating with someone. But…

* * *

" _Oh, Elsa! This is so much fun!" I hear her beautiful voice, usually quiet and shy, but loud and happy when she's with me. Her breath condenses on the cold air, making little clouds every time she opens her mouth. I look directly into her green eyes as we spin together, gliding through this little lake I found in a cave. I didn't even need to freeze it; this high up in the mountains everything is naturally frozen._

" _You like it?" I ask, glad that my little idea worked out. Helen has been a little depressed as of late, worried because of her brother's nightly activities and sad because I won't spend as much time with her as before. And also because Hans and I keep fighting more and more, which of course results in me putting some distance between us and, therefore, between Helen and me as well._

" _Of course! You know I love spending time with you." She answers sincerely, her eyes shining with affection. It actually makes me feel more than a little guilty for neglecting her so much as of late._

" _It's getting late though." I say, looking to the entrance of the cave at the sun getting closer and closer to the horizon, painting the ice crystals on the walls and ceiling a variety of oranges and pinks. "We should go back soon." I really don't want to end the fun right now, since this is actually quite good for me too (I've been pretty stressed out as of late), but if we don't get back Hans will surely have yet another excuse to fight with me._

" _I know." She sighs resigned, before letting go of my hands and going to sit at the shore of the lake with a saddened expression. Feeling bad, I quickly go to sit next to her and, after getting off my gloves, make our skates disappear with a wave of my hand (not without struggling quite a bit)._

" _You're still having problems with your magic?" She asks, when she notices I only managed to make three skates disappear and the fourth is giving me trouble._

" _They get worse every day." I admit with a grimace. She's the only person I've told about this. I don't want to worry the others. Plus, I don't think they'd understand (which makes sense, I guess, because even when Helen doesn't have magic, she is my only female friend, and only one year younger than me)._

" _You're still growing. I think it's normal." She says, placing a hand on top of mine. I instantly recoil in fear, and in response to my emotions, a few snowflakes start falling. She only looks sadly at me, but doesn't say anything; she knows I'm afraid of touching any non-ice-wielders because I fear I'll hurt them._

" _I'm sixteen!" I shout, desperate. The snow starts falling more heavily. "Don't you think their growth rate should have diminished by now?"_

" _You're still a teenager." She shrugs. "They'll probably keep growing until you're an adult."_

 _At her words, I look down at my hands and pretty much glare at them before putting my gloves on (not that they are of much help now), and sigh in distress._

" _That's what worries me." I answer._

 _She falls silent at that, and for a moment I fear I've killed the mood; that I've made her as stressed and unhappy as I normally am, but… suddenly she gets closer, gripping my gloved hands with hers. My heart skips a beat, in fear or excitement I don't know, but when she then lens in, clearly with the intention to kiss me, it starts thumping again faster than before._

 _Her lips land on my cheek, and my blood instantly rushes there, as if it wanted to be closer to Helen. A smile appears on my lips and I can only look at her with as much appreciation as I can muster. For a moment, she reminded me what warmth feels like. What love and friendship feels like. For a moment, I could forget about all my fears and distressful thoughts and just focus on her. For a moment, I was completely and truly happy._

* * *

"Elsa?" Anna's voice pulls me back into the present, and I realize we've stopped spinning and are instead standing still at the shore, with me probably spacing out as I recovered my memory. I blink a few times, to remind myself where I am and what am I doing, and discover I'm a little dizzy, and it's probably not just because of all the spinning we just did. "Is… something the matter?" She asks unsure.

"I-I…" I clear my throat, fighting to find an answer. I certainly don't want to go back to skating right away, but I don't want to ruin the mood either. At the end, I settle for "I'm a bit dizzy."

"Oh! Okay, let's sit down." She says, obviously concerned, as she pretty much forces me to sit on the grass as she does the same beside me. However, my head hurts a little bit, like more memories are fighting to get out but just can't seem to get to the surface just yet, and so I decide to lay down and put my arm over my eyes to block out the sunlight, keeping my breathing as even as possible.

"Better?" She asks gently after a few minutes have passed. At the sound of her sweet voice, I'm able to forget about my pain and open my eyes, smiling as I see her head next to mine on the ground, teal eyes looking at me with both concern and love.

"Yeah." I answer honestly. Being so close to Anna always makes things better.

However, when Anna sees my left arm, that was previously on top of my eyes, resting on the ground above her head, she apparently takes this as an invitation and goes to use it as a pillow and place her arm over my stomach, getting so close to me now that I could probably count all her little freckles. Of course, instantly my breath hitches and butterflies appear on my stomach, but she seems oblivious of this fact as she just keeps peering at me with a happy expression.

"You had another memory?" She asks, and my eyes widen at her question. She sure knows me well.

"Uh… yeah." I answer with a smile.

"A happy one?" She prods, obviously curious to know more, but I decide to just partially satisfy her curiosity; it just feels weird to talk about such an intimate moment when I don't truly know the context, or what it meant for me in that moment.

"Yes. I was skating with a friend." When she keeps looking at me, like she wants to know more, I give in and give her more details. "Her name was Helen. I saved her when we were little."

"Oh, _that_ girl!" She exclaims, obviously remembering about the dream I had the night when I freaked out. "Were you close?"

"I… I actually think she was my best friend." I say confidently. The memory strongly suggested that after all.

"Was she better than me at ice-skating?" She then asks, frowning like a positive answer will make her _pissed_.

"No!" I assure her, even if I don't know if that's true. I just really don't want her to be mad at me. "S-she… you're better than her in every way."

At my words, Anna smiles like I just gave her the right answer, and before I know it, she gets even closer, nuzzling against my neck in a way that makes a pleasant tingle run through my whole body, leaving me both frozen in place and hotter than I thought possible at the same time. If I had been standing, my legs would have turned to jelly.

"You just say that to please me." She says in a playful tone, but I don't even have time to register her words because in that moment, her lips touch softly the sensitive skin of my neck, and all rational thoughts fly out of the window.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi there! So, I was able to update early this time, which is pretty much a miracle considering there was a pretty huge and very destructive earthquake in my city the other day :P.**

 **But anyways, I hope you liked this little piece of fluff, because I sure loved writing it! And please, leave a review if you enjoyed this chapter, and check out a drawing I made, either in my DeviantArt or Tumblr (Tania Hylian).**

 **As always, thanks for reading. And thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13 :)**


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18.**

 _Tonight's the night. Tonight, Hans will take me to the place he's been escaping to every month for almost a year now. What's this secret place? I don't know for sure. Hans only said that they're working to make the Northern Lands a better place, and that after reconsidering it more then a few times, they decided they need my help, even though that'd make me the youngest member of the group._

" _Promise me you'll come back early." Helen says to both her brother and me as we put on some dark capes that will hopefully make it more difficult for the soldiers to spot us in the dim, cloudy night._

" _We'll be back before sunrise." Hans promises her with a gentle smile, and then steps out of our cabin, turning around as soon as he's out and looking expectantly at me._

 _I want to say I won't go. I want to yell at him that I'm only a girl, and that I'll surely be of no use to them. I want to make him realize that there's no way a handful of us could make the Northern Lands a better place… But I can't. I've argued with him about this multiple times already, and he promised I could leave anytime I want to. I just have to show up to their little reunion tonight. Then, I can forget all about this._

 _Still, it's making me more nervous than I want to admit. It's against the rules. Going out after midnight, forming a meeting that involves more than five people without supervision from the guards, conspiring against the stablished order… I could even be charged with treason if they found me! The sole thought makes my insides twist painfully, and a layer of frost forms on my gloves. Still, I swallow my fear and give Helen a reassuring smile._

" _Don't wait up for us." I say, before following Hans into the night._

 _It thankfully doesn't take us long to reach the cabin where the meeting will be held, and we manage to avoid all the soldiers with relative ease. The cabin is actually like any other cabin here; a bunch of wooden boards poorly nailed together by unexperienced people. The door isn't more than some animal's fur hanging from the doorframe, and the curtains are actually old rags. Inside, the only furniture are three "beds" that consist on a piece of wood covered by old cloths. Yes, this cabin is almost an exact replica as Bulda's. Though maybe hers is bigger._

 _At the thought of Bulda I feel more than a bit guilty. We did sneak out without her permission, and had to buy Olaf's and Marshall's silence with our dinner, but if I hadn't done that Hans would have continued pestering me until I agreed to come, so… I didn't really have a choice. Still, I prefer not to lie to Bulda._

 _I don't have much time to think about that though, because soon Hans moves one of the beds, revealing a trapdoor made of ice, obviously by magic. He opens it and a set of stairs is revealed, as well as a blue light coming from far underground._

" _Go ahead." He says, pointing to the opening. "I'll close it."_

 _I do as instructed, and soon find myself at the bottom of the stairs, which surprisingly enough, isn't all that deep into the ground. There, a circular room with walls made of ice and a table and chairs of the same material (though covered in cloths, for non-ice-wielders) is illuminated by a giant magical snowflake that floats just above the table. At said table, around ten people are sitting, varying on ages from around twenty, like Hans, to sixty, like a man with a severe expression. Most are men, but there's also a couple of women, one that has ice powers and another who clearly doesn't, judging by her auburn hair combed into a ponytail. Of the men, six have the pale complexion of ice-wielders, but the other two don't. I'm not surprised by this; there are a lot of non-ice-wielders within the Northern Lands, and yet they are still treated quite poorly by the soldiers._

 _I stand there awkwardly for a few seconds, feeling uncomfortable when all eyes turn to me, but thankfully Hans steps in to save me soon enough._

" _Goodnight." He addresses them with a polite nod as he takes off his cape and comes to stand behind me. "I'd like to introduce you to my little sister, Elsa." At this, he puts a hand on my shoulder and take that as my cue to also take off the cape, revealing my face._

 _I don't bother to clarify that I'm technically not his sister, because ever since Helen made it clear she doesn't mind, Hans hasn't stopped calling me that, and I find it quite endearing. Though I'd never call him brother, or call Helen my sister, for that matter._

" _She's too young." One of the men say, raising an eyebrow. "How old is she, twelve?"_

" _Fifteen." I correct, my voice barely above a whisper due to my nervousness. I hug my stomach as they keep examining me as if I'm a circus freak, feeling the knot in my stomach get tighter and tighter._

" _And she's more powerful than all of you combined." Hans states, pride filling his voice. I've told him a million times not to mention the extent of my powers to anyone, but I guess it's the only reason I was invited in the first place, so I'll let it slide._

 _Before any of them can say anything though, Hans sits down at the table and gestures to the only other available chair, so I go and sit next to him. This close to the others, it's even easier to see their disbelieving but curious stares, like they don't truly believe what Hans said, but are eager to be proven wrong._

" _Elsa?" The non-ice-wielder woman says, in what's probably meant to be a soothing tone. "Would you like to give us a little demonstration?"_

" _What do you want me to do?" I ask doubtful. After all, it's always dangerous to use magic. A soldier could notice. How? I don't know, considering we're underground, but I'd prefer not to risk it._

" _Cool down this room as much as you can." One of them promptly suggests, but I only frown._

" _That'd be way too dangerous. Non-ice-wielders would die." I say it with such certainty they are all left surprised. All except Hans, that is._

" _Why don't you make a miniature Arendelle town?" He suggests instead. "Make it the size of the table."_

 _Now, that's something I can do. I've been doing it quite often ever since I came here, after all. It's the only way I have to ensure I'll never forget my birth town._

" _But that'd take hours, there's no way she can…" Before the oldest man can finish saying what he was saying, I take off my left glove and, with a wave of my hand, make Arendelle materialize on the table. I don't even have to concentrate anymore; it just comes naturally to me. The emotions I channel when I make it are all mixed up, like my feelings for said town, yet each one makes a small part of the model, and they find balance._

" _I… I have to admit it's pretty impressive." A young man says after a few seconds. "I mean, I left Arendelle when I was quite young, yet I can still recognize some places, like the market, or the port. You even put some ships in the harbor!"_

" _The amount of detail is certainly something worthy of admiration." The ice-wielder woman adds. "Even more experienced ice-wielders would struggle making such an accurate model of the castle, yet you even added the correct number of windows and towers. Not to mention all the little houses! They're all very well crafted."_

" _What surprised me was the_ explosiveness _of her magic!" The old man adds. "It wasn't released gradually. It was sudden and precise, and she was in complete control."_

" _Hans, you certainly didn't lie, this girl has potential." Another one says, making Hans' chest swell with pride as he adopts a rather smug expression. I don't like it at all. I wished I hadn't come. I don't want to use my powers._

" _How old were you when your powers manifested?" The old man asks. I don't want to answer, but I feel pressured by all the eyes in the room that look at me waiting for an answer, so I whisper it against my wishes._

" _I was born with them." At this, everyone in the room falls silent, looking at me, both as if I'm a ton of dynamite about to go off, and as if I'm some kind of God, worthy of reverence and admiration. I shift in my seat uncomfortable. This is why I didn't want to tell them._

" _You must be the most powerful ice-wielder alive." He finally speaks after a long silence. "Please, it would be a honor if you could help us in our mission." He bows his head as a sign of respect, and the others do the same, but this only makes me feel more pressured and, therefore, nervous._

" _W-what is your mission, exactly?" I ask cautiously._

" _We want to build a better life for ice-wielders." Hans is the one who answers this time. I nod, indicating that I already knew that and silently asking him to elaborate. "To do that, we of course have to take control over Arendelle."_

" _Y-you mean…_ invade _them?" I ask with a trembling voice, not liking the idea at all. I thought he just wanted to cast away the Arendellian soldiers, and take control over the Northern Lands, not_ this _._

" _Of course." He answers naturally, and everyone else in the room nod in approval, confirming his words._

" _B-but… many would die." I protest with a weak voice. I don't want to openly contradict them, after all. I don't like when people get mad at me._

" _And that is a shame." The old man agrees. "But thanks to our magic, I expect our loses to be minimal, compared to theirs."_

But _they_ are still people! _I want to scream._ They are still _our_ people. They were your neighbors, your friends, your family! They are just innocent civilians that happen to be on the other side of the wall! Even if you just killed the soldiers (which I doubt), they are also people. Many are only in the army because they couldn't find another job, but that doesn't make them _bad_! Most have a family waiting for them, and yet you'd kill them without a second thought?!

 _However, I don't say anything. I'm just a girl after all, why would anything I say matter to them?_

" _Besides." Hans adds. "After we kill the royal family, we expect all the Arendellians to surrender. I bet that will save many lives."_

 _This last commentary drains all blood from my face, and I feel like I will throw up. Hearing Hans so casually talk about murdering a family… a family that includes a little girl… it's just too terrible, too disgusting. Enough to make me see him in a completely new light. Sure, maybe he doesn't know them, and maybe the king is responsible for our current poor living conditions, but… that doesn't give him, or anyone else, the right to murder an entire family, alongside countless soldiers and civilians._

 _No, there has to be another way. We could just take control of the Northern Lands, and then try and negotiate with other kingdoms in order to obtain their protection and an opportunity to exchange goods. Without the soldiers here, we surely would be able to grow crops during summer, or even open some mines in the mountains. Maybe then we could even make a peace agreement with Arendelle. Sure, many lives would still be lost then, but I'd try my best not to kill anyone unless necessary._

 _However, I don't say anything and the reunion continues like they assumed my silence means I agree with them. The only comforting thought is that I'm pretty sure they won't be able to implement their plan without my help. Probably. And I don't intend on coming back here again. Ever._

* * *

Today is the day. The very anxiously awaited day to meet with Anna's council, so I can't afford to dwell much on the memory I got last night during a dream. All I can do as soon as I wake up very early in the morning is get ready, have breakfast and go over what I'm going to say. Still, as I wait for the time to arrive, I feel my stomach twisting painfully, my body shaking with anxiety. It gets so bad I think it won't be able to hold my breakfast in. However, when my hands start trembling and I accidentally freeze the papers I'm holding, I decide to lay down on my bed and take some deep breaths, hoping I'll be calm enough when Anna arrives.

Of course, that doesn't take long, and soon we're walking at a fast pace towards the meeting room. We barely even talk; I can see in her eyes she's as nervous and worried as I am. Plus, she has black circles under her eyes and looks a little pale, and her posture isn't exactly relaxed. I wonder how tense we would look if we hadn't taken a break yesterday.

At least she looks elegant enough, wearing the same dress she wore at Rapunzel's ball, together with the very regal red cape. She also has her hair up in a bun, with her tiara resting proudly on top of her head. She surely commands respect while dressed like that. She looks older, and more serious than usual.

I, on the other hand, opted for a dark blue dress with an equally dark blue jacket, and white gloves. Elegant, yet simple. And a little masculine, I suppose. But I like it, and I think it makes me look more sober. It looks better with my real hair, as it makes a nice contrast between dark and white, but of course I have my wig on, braided in my usual hairstyle. We don't want anyone freaking out after all.

When we arrive to the meeting room, only three members of the council haven't arrived, so we have to sit down and wait for them, but it thankfully just takes a few minutes, in which I put my notes in order. Then, when everyone is here, Anna gets up and clears her throat before speaking in a voice that wavers a bit with nervousness, but not too much, and hopefully they won't notice.

"Good morning, gentlemen. And thank you for coming to this meeting." She says. "I've asked for your presence today to discuss a topic of utmost importance to the kingdom; the Northerners." At this, all their faces become curious and more attentive, probably because the Queen had refused to touch the matter ever since she ascended to the throne. Seeing this, Anna shifts uncomfortably because she knows what she'll say next will piss them all off.

"As we all know, this war between us and the Northerners has cost many lives and countless resources, while resulting in considerable damage to our remaining territory. As such, I say it'd be ill-advised to prolong this conflict any longer, and so today I propose that…" She pauses, biting her lip, and I have to nudge her for her to go on. "That we abolish the laws imposed by my father with regards to ice-wielders, and allow them to return as citizens of Arendelle." She says this without pausing to take a breath, however, I bet the silence that follows isn't because they didn't understand her due to how quickly she said it.

All councilmen have equally stunned faces, like they were expecting anything but that. Most clearly hope she's joking, and that she will burst in laughter and say something like "got you!". But no; this is real, and once the realization kicks in, the protests aren't held back.

"What did you just say?!" The General exclaims, his voice raising above the others, both angry and alarmed. The others quickly back up his position.

"That's just self-destructive! Are you trying to bring Arendelle to its ruin?" Another councilman speaks, as enraged as I guessed they'd be.

"The Northerners are dangerous! We can't just let them walk back into our kingdom after everything they've done." A man in his fifties say. Aaron, I think is his name. He's the one who interrogated me the first time I met with the council. All in all, it doesn't surprise me that even him (who appeared to be the most reasonable) is against Anna's proposal.

"Yes! They're murderers and thieves and…" Before this councilmen can continue, I decide to stand up and speak, tired of their hateful commentaries.

"Gentlemen, please!" I pretty much yell, putting up my hands as to demand silence. It takes a few moments but, thankfully they're respectful and civilized enough to shut up once the Queen herself sits down to listen to what I'll say. Even if she already knows my whole speech. "I know it's easy to hate Northerners, and to blame them for all of our problems, but the facts and numbers tell a different story than the one we're so happy to believe."

At my words, many look confused and unbelieving, and the General downright looks at me like I just said the stupidest thing ever. But I don't let that stop me from telling the horrible truth I found out. The truth even _I_ was surprised to learn. What they do with this truth, however, is up to them.

"The truth is… Northerners haven't killed that many Arendellians, or committed as many crimes." I pause, letting that information sink in as I take a look at my notes. "In total, 3122 people were exiled to the Northern Lands, and only about two thousands of them were ice-wielders. You know how many people live in Arendelle? No?" I pause, alternating my gaze between them, but if they know, they decide not to say anything. "Around _one million_. And yet, we gave almost a quarter of our territory to the Northerners."

 _Huh. It sounds even dumber when I say it like that._

"And yes, it's mostly cold and barren mountains where almost no one lived beforehand. But there were mines! Those mountains are full of natural resources and precious gemstones!" I exclaim, hoping they'll see where I'm going with this. After all if they know a lot about something, it has to be logical business decisions.

"Construction of the wall cost the Crown more then the entirety of the previous war with Corona. And… was it really worth it? What was the point of exiling them?"

"What was the point? It was a safety measure." One of the councilmen answers, clearly uncomfortable about the facts I just presented. "Some sacrifices have to be made to ensure the safety of the entire kingdom."

"Safety? I don't think so." I shake my head, partially amused and partially horrified by what I'm about to say next. "This was clearly just an act of revenge enacted by the former king." When they're about to protest loudly again, I raise my hand and say: "Let me explain."

"The number of crimes committed by ice-wielders before the laws were imposed was approximately five per year. _Five_. That's less than a hundredth of all crimes committed in Arendelle. And most of those crimes were non-violent robberies."

"Where did you get those numbers?" Lord Aaron says, with disbelief clear in his voice.

"The Royal Archives, Arendelle's judicial system loves their record keeping. The Queen can testify, and you can check their records out yourselves if you want." I answer, unable to suppress a triumphant smile at their surprised faces. I bet they thought I was making this all up, or had unreliable sources.

"Anyways, during the ten years or so that ice-wielders still lived amongst Arendellian citizens, there were only two mass murderers, who were brought to justice without much trouble and punished accordingly." I continue. "Similarly, the thirteen people who conspired and killed the former King Oscar, who by the way were all from the same family, were executed the very next day. More so, they only did it because they would have had a claim to the throne if they had killed the royal family. It had nothing to do with them being ice-wielders; in fact, some of them weren't. It was a power grab, plain and simple."

"But if you look at the numbers, the crimes committed by ice-wielders increased considerably after the laws were enacted." One of the councilmen wisely speaks out, and I have to nod at that. This, despite what they may think, only makes my case stronger.

"That is correct." I admit. "Crimes committed by ice-wielders increased about tenfold after the King started exiling them to the Northern Lands. And I firmly believe this was because they killed mostly out of self-defense." I make a pause to allow them to catch up. "I mean, think about it; people started being afraid of magic. Ice-wielders were being hunted, and sometimes downright _murdered_ , by their closest friends and even family. And why? Because of something they had no control over. There were even many tragic cases of people who only _looked_ like ice-wielders, but didn't have any magic, being killed by a mob whipped up into a frenzy."

I take a moment to breathe, so I don't get to emotionally invested in this. That'd be weird, considering I'm supposed to be a Coronan noble. But truth to be told, going over these facts all over again still makes me more than just a bit angry. So angry in fact, that my magic starts agitating a bit and my pulse and breathing quicken noticeably. But I can't let it show. Not here, not now. I take a deep breath and find comfort in the fact that at least now I'm doing something to solve this awfully unfair situation.

"Yes, that may be true." Lord Aaron says reluctantly after a moment of silence. "But what's also true is that escaped Northerners murdered entire villages in numerous occasions. And that this went on for at least fifteen years."

"That's correct." I admit with a grimace. The facts can't be denied, after all. But I think I can still defend the Northerners pretty well. "The total amount of villages that were victims of these unfortunate attacks goes as high as seven, with a total death count of about 1500. This of course, also affected the economy, as many of the northern regions were abandoned by their previous inhabitants." I take a deep breath, sorting out my thoughts. After all, I can't defend the indefensible. What those ice-wielders did was evil and unjustified; the people they killed were innocents, and had done nothing wrong. But I still believe there's something I can rescue from all of this.

"The ice-wielders responsible for these attacks were a group of extremists consisting of twenty or so individuals, as far as we know. It took more than a decade, sure, because they all had powerful magic, but thankfully they were all brought to justice and executed as dictated by the law." I sigh. What I'll say next, they are not going to like. "They were all horrible people, and they _did_ take advantage of their powers in order to abuse of others. However… they did what they did out of revenge; if they hadn't been exiled, losing everything dear to them in the process, they probably would have never done such atrocities."

"But what about all the soldiers that were killed in the Northern Lands?" Another councilmen objects understandably. "Young men don't even want to join the army anymore for fear of being sent to that hell hole!"

"Ah, yes… that's also an issue that needs to be addressed." I answer, trying not to cringe as I wonder yet again how many soldiers I've killed in my life. Going by my dreams alone, I'd say… a lot. "Every year since the ice-wielders were exiled, and until their "liberation", about twenty soldiers died in the Northern Lands each year. Of the three hundred assigned." I make a pause, letting that sink in. "I'm not going to lie, those numbers are worrying, but not as huge as one may think by the way most people here in Arendelle talk about Northerners. And again, these deaths could have been avoided if the former king hadn't decided to exile ice-wielders."

"But wait. You said only twenty died per year." The General interferes unsurprisingly. "Yet you didn't mention the hundreds of lives that were lost during the Northerners' rebellion." By his tone alone, I can tell he's really angry about this, mostly due to the fact he's in charge of the army, and yet they lost relatively easily to the Northerners. However, I'm not scared of him, or the issue he presented. I can handle it.

"Yes. Almost all of the three hundred soldiers stationed at the Northern Lands died, yet… that's somewhat justified." I can see all eyes boring holes at me, and even Anna looks surprised at how I decided to voice it out, so I quickly rush to explain myself. "I mean, I'm a firm believer that killing people is never the solution, but I can understand why Northerners did it. There's only so much abuse and mistreatment they could take before finally deciding that enough was enough."

"Mistreatment, you say?" Lord Aaron asks, clearly interested, but also more than a little doubtful.

"Yes." I nod resolutely. "According to the royal archives, torture and murder of people whose biggest crime was stealing food in order to survive, was reported on several occasions, with the blame falling squarely on soldiers who were stationed in the Northern Lands. However, these soldiers were never punished appropriately, despite having done something against the law."

"The law doesn't apply to Northerners." The General mumbles angrily.

"Really? And where did you get that idea? The laws imposed by the former King say nothing of the sort." I retort, knowing which his reply will be before he voices it out, and wanting to lead the conversation in that exact direction.

"Actually, as soon as they are exiled from Arendelle our laws stop applying to them." I have to consciously suppress a smirk at his words. This is the fun part.

"Well yes, but you see… they were never really exiled." As expected, they all look at me rather confused as soon as I say that. Anna just smiles knowingly. "The Northern Lands are still technically part of Arendelle's territory, and an act of exile is only valid when the person is actually required to leave the kingdom."

"So… the former king never declared that the Northern Lands were no longer part of Arendelle's territory?" An old man says, just as surprised as anyone would be with this revelation. The others are probably just too shocked to speak.

"No. And he didn't change the laws about exile either." I clarify. I spent hours checking out those laws, after all. This did seem too good to be true. "Maybe he just didn't realize this was a loophole, or thought it didn't matter as long as he was the king." I shrug. "Either way, all that's been done to the Northerners was technically illegal."

"We have to change that! Make the Northern Lands an independent territory." One of the councilman says what probably everyone else is thinking. However, this time Anna has an answer to that.

"I could do that." She starts carefully, and on cue, I sit down to let her take the reins from here. My job is done after all; I just had to present the facts.

Slowly, the rush of adrenaline I had since I walked into this room starts to fade, and my tense body relaxes gradually. I take comfort in the fact this is almost over, and I probably won't have to speak anymore. Saying something that goes against what everyone else thinks always makes me nervous. But I know it's necessary.

"However…" Anna continues. "That would only mean that all ice-wielders exiled to the Northern Lands from now on would actually be _exiles_. The others would be members of an independent nation. And I don't know you, but I really don't think that's a good idea with a potentially-hostile Ice Queen in control over there."

"And you think it's better to just let them waltz into our territory with no consequences?" The General answers, raising an eyebrow. "I really don't think that's a good idea. I wonder if the Northerner you're keeping here didn't trick you into making that decision." As he says this, he turns to look at me with all the intention in the world, and I'm about to retort when Anna does it for me.

"The decision I came to was made based on the facts Elsa presented to me, nothing more." She replies, clearly offended that he just insinuated she's being manipulated by her own guest. However, she thankfully remains calm enough, even if she isn't as good as me concealing her emotions. "And honestly, as things are, Northerners could waltz into our territory without any real legal repercussions; I'm just trying to make it official. But fear not, I wouldn't advise we do that before initiating contact with this Ice Queen, see what she wants, if she represents a real threat, and if we can negotiate with her."

"And how exactly would you plan to do that?" Aaron says, clearly not buying such a scenario is possible. "No one has been able to cross the wall since the Ice Queen took over the Northern Lands."

"We could send an ambassador with a white flag." Anna answers. "It's a stretch, but it's worth seeing if it works. If the ambassador is attacked, I'd actually start to believe the Ice Queen is hostile."

"And in that case, what would you do?" The General asks, probably hoping that Anna says something like "kill them all!", going by the sinister smile on his face.

"Well… I think we have to take this step by step and not get ahead of ourselves." She replies smartly, since we didn't discuss this matter in the days we spent planning this meeting. "The reconciliation between Arendelle and the Northern Lands is going to be a slow process, and should be approached carefully considering all the pain both parts have gone through, and how long this conflict it has lasted. Nevertheless, I do believe it's possible, and will make everything in my power to make it happen."

"Of course, the decision of what to do next about this is yours, and I will respect it as soon as it's reasonable and prejudice-free." At this, she turns to glare at the General for a second before smiling again as she addresses the whole council. "I do expect to hear it soon enough though." She adds, and the councilmen quickly nod their heads, to reassure her that'll be the case.

"Well, that'd be all for today's meeting, thank you for coming." And with that, the Queen stands up and goes to leave the meeting room. I do the same, and quickly follow her, surprised by this sudden conclusion. But I guess we couldn't have said much more to make them change their minds (not today anyways), and it's probably better to leave them to mull things over.

Besides, she probably was as eager as me, if not more, to get this over with. Except she actually has the power to end the meeting. Oh well, I just hope we don't have anything else tiresome planned for the rest of today. I could really use a day off right now.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi! I hope you liked this chapter, because I sure enjoyed writing all those arguments XD**

 **Please review/favorite/follow if you haven't, and as always thanks for reading (and thank you for all your awesome reviews! They are more than 100 already :D), and see you soon with some Elsanna fluff :3**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19:**

Today I wanted to spend the whole day with Anna and maybe tell her about my dream from last night. And yet here I am; alone in the library. Why? Because Anna had to go welcome some foreign dignitary and refused to let me accompany her, arguing that I looked like I might pass out from exhaustion at any moment. She looked the same, but of course I can't force the Queen to stay in the castle against her will.

Stupid meeting, it really drained our energy. I hope it was worth the effort though.

But anyways, now that I have a few free hours on my hands, I decided I deserved some rest and came here to the library (thankfully this time without having to endure Kristoff's constant supervision, as he was required to accompany Anna), and maybe read a novel, or something like that. Nothing strenuous or thought-demanding.

But the problem is… I can't concentrate on anything. I read one phrase and forget it the next second, having to go over it again ten times before moving on to the next. Why? Because I can't stop thinking about my dream from last night.

By the looks of it, I'd say I probably did start (or at least played a big part in) the rebellion that resulted in the liberation of the Northern Lands, since apparently I already thought that was the best way to go. Unlike Hans and his extremist friends, who preferred to invade Arendelle.

I can't say I really blame them though; most of them had probably lived in the Northern Lands far longer than I, and suffered countless atrocities at the hands of Arendellians even before being exiled. But then again, I still stand firm on what I thought back then; murdering innocent people isn't the solution. Yet I do get why this can be rather difficult to understand.

Violence leads to pain, and pain leads to hate. Hate leads to more violence. And hate is a very powerful emotion. Almost as strong as love, I'd even say. And no one knows better than me how difficult is to control emotions, instead of letting them control you.

Which reminds me… the issue about my powers. So, I was born with them. Great. I must _really_ be the most powerful ice-wielder alive. As if I needed even more proof that I'm the Ice Queen.

But I shouldn't worry about that. I can't do anything about it, can I? And just thinking about how much power I really have makes me more than a little dizzy. I should focus on something less scary. Something that makes me feel good. And it probably should be something related to my past, if I want to keep learning about myself, but what?

Oh, I know! Helen. Helen, who apparently was my best friend ever since I saved her life. Hans' younger sister. Helen… who I might have loved? _Deeply_ loved. As in… romantically?

Or maybe she was just my best friend, who knows? But I'd sure like to find out.

I try concentrating on my last memory of her, and see if I can remember more. I concentrate on her round and freckled face, on her cute perky nose and her bright green eyes. I try to feel again like I'm with her, seeing her hair, done in a horsetail, agitate with the cold wind of the mountains. Enjoying her company, trying to decipher exactly what I feel for her.

Soon, a new memory pops in my mind.

* * *

 _I'm laughing, feeling like the luckiest woman in the world, as I have breakfast with Helen. I'm telling her about my trip to the coastal village, and how I got scared when one of the fishermen offered me a fish as a gift, only for it to start flopping around when I held it. She says she doesn't believe me, since I'm always so graceful and composed, when I narrate how I screamed and fell in my butt, with the fish landing on my lap, continuing to scare me._

 _I assure her it's true, and she laughs even harder, having to hold onto the icy table in order not to fall. I love making her laugh like that. She deserves it, after all the hardship she's been through. And after being so supportive with me all this time, even though I've been like a whiny baby as of late._

" _I'll go with you next time." She says when she calms down enough to speak, though she's still giggling a bit. "I promise."_

" _I bet you only want to see me embarrass myself again." I say, blushing at the thought of her seeing me in such a situation._

" _No! Of course not." She quickly assures me, placing her hand over mine. "You know I love spending time with you. I'd be your shadow if I could!"_

" _I know." I answer chuckling, finding quite endearing that she won't even let me joke about her reasons to be with me._

 _Then, we fall silent as we enjoy our food. It's nothing too fancy, sure, but at least it's nutritious, unlike what we used to eat. Some salmon that I brought from my trip, bread and tea. It tastes amazing though; Bulda has always been a good cook._

 _Suddenly, Helen gets up, having finished her plate, and speaks to me._

" _Today I'll go check on Hans." She informs me. "He hasn't come home in a few days, and I worry he's overworking himself."_

" _Very well." I answer sighing. After all, even I can't keep her from seeing her brother, and I'd also like to know if he's okay. "Just… don't stay too long. You know how dangerous it can be at the mines. And I don't like the way some of the men stare at you."_

" _You worry too much." She answers rolling her eyes. "But fear not; I only plan on visiting him for about an hour or so. Then I'll come back and likely help Bulda in the kitchen. Is that okay with you?"_

" _Yes, that's alright." I say somewhat relieved, but still wishing I could accompany her. Unfortunately, today I have other duties. "Just don't leave Hans' side and nothing should happen to you."_

" _Yes, I know." She smiles reassuringly before leaning towards me and placing a kiss on my cheek. My poor heart seems to stop for a moment and I can't help letting out a little squeak of excitement. It happens a lot when I'm with Helen, and it truthfully terrifies me. I keep fearing she'll realize one day what these little reactions mean, and she'll drift away because of it. I just pray she's as innocent and oblivious as she seems._

" _Take care." She says happily once she pulls away and turns around to exit the dinning room._

" _Y-you too." I answer somewhat nervously after I take a few moments to process her words. This earns a giggle and a little wave with her hand before she exits and disappears from my sight. Then, and only then, I allow myself to let out the dreamy sigh I had been holding ever since she kissed me… without realizing I'm not exactly alone._

" _Why don't you tell her?" I hear a voice behind me and almost jump off my chair, turning around startled to stare at Olaf's goofy grin. He must have just come trough the kitchen's door._

" _T-t-tell her what?" I ask, though I already know what he meant._

" _That you love her." He answers like it's obvious. "She can't read minds, you know? I asked." And judging by his tone, I have to assume he really asked. Though I can't blame him, considering he lives surrounded by people with magic powers._

" _Uh… Yes, I know." I answer, a bit uncomfortable and more worried than anything. After all, if_ Olaf _noticed my infatuation, surely Helen will soon. If she hasn't already._

" _Then why haven't you told her?" He asks with genuine child-like curiosity. I'd dismiss his question, if I wasn't desperate to talk about this with someone,_ anyone _. So I take the chance._

" _I don't think she feels the same way." I admit with a grimace, feeling as tears form in my eyes just at the mention of such possibility._

" _What are you talking about? She loves you very much! She'd do anything to please you!" Olaf answers with a very cheerful and optimistic attitude. So much in fact, that it almost looks like his face is split in two by his smile. This, however, doesn't make me feel better._

" _I know. And that's what worries me." I answer, to which Olaf tilts his head in confusion. "Even if she doesn't have romantic feelings for me, I'm sure she'd say she does just to please me. That's what she always does. And though normally I don't mind, in this case it would make me question the authenticity of her feelings, which would inevitably damage our relationship." I sigh, this time in distress, before looking again into Olaf's brown eyes. "That's why I can't make the first step. She has to tell me she loves me, or else I'll never be sure."_

" _Uh…" Olaf looks at me like I just explained to him some complicated war strategy. "What?"_

" _Forget it." I reply with a sad smile, knowing he'd likely don't understand no matter how many times I explain it to him. He just has his own way of seeing the world. "Just… don't tell anyone. Let me figure this out on my own."_

* * *

I blink, trying to remember what happened next. But it doesn't matter how hard I shut my eyes, how much effort I put into trying to grasp the memory that's just out of my reach, I can't. I still don't know what kind of relationship I had with Helen. I mean, sure in this memory we were friends, but I did have feelings for her. Maybe I told her and she didn't take it well. Or maybe I didn't and she confessed first. Who knows?

I wish I could get more memories back. I feel like this part of my life was important. _Is_ important, considering even now I have feelings for a woman. I guess these kinds of things don't change even if you have amnesia.

But it's not only that. Helen was very dear to me in many ways. I can feel it deep inside me. She was my best friend, first of all; the only one I trusted enough to talk about my powers, and probably other things. Sure, Hans, Olaf and Marshall were also my friends, but I just don't feel a connection so deep with them in my memories.

But Helen was not only my best friend. She was like a little sister to me, and it's clear I acted protective over her. Maybe even more than Hans did. Yet… maybe some of that protectiveness was originated from my romantic feelings towards her. And jealousy.

But right now I only know how I felt about her, and I'd like to know how she felt about me. Yes, she obviously loved me, _worshiped_ me even. But… was it romantic love? Or did she just look up to me as her sister? I guess I'll have to wait to find out. I just hope I'll get back more memories about her soon enough.

* * *

Anna comes back from her trip to the port shortly after the sun sets. She looks exhausted, and when I question her about it she just says she had to go to the market afterwards to buy something. Which is very strange, given her servants buy anything that's necessary in the castle. I can't interrogate her further though, because she says she absolutely needs to bath and change into something more comfortable before she can join me for dinner, and then runs off to her room.

I wait for her a little impatiently in the dining room. But I don't dare eating anything until she has returned. While I'm there, I entertain myself by trying to recover more memories. However, I can just get random images and words without context, mostly about Helen, but Hans, Marshall and Olaf also appear sporadically. I could be wrong, but I feel like remembering things is easier now than before, but… it's still not enough and soon I get so frustrated, I have to consciously stop myself from blasting the table away with my powers.

Fortunately, Anna arrives in that moment. She now has her twin braids instead of a bun, and is wearing a simple dress with a black bodice and a pink skirt. I actually like her casual style as much as her regal one; she is breathtakingly beautiful no matter what she's wearing.

She now looks less tired and happier than before, and doesn't waste any time running towards me with an infectious smile that I can't help but reciprocate.

"Come on, Elsa!" She says as she takes my hand and tugs from it to make me stand up. "There's no time to waste! Follow me."

"Where are we going?" I ask, partially amused, as I reluctantly let her drag me away from the amazing smells of the dining room, and to wherever she's planned for us to go. "I thought we were going to have dinner?"

"And we are!" She answers looking back at me briefly and wearing that mischievous smile that just screams trouble. "Just not here."

"Then where?" I ask confused, but Anna just giggles and continues running.

Thankfully to my poor legs, we come to a stop after just a couple of minutes. And we're near the base of a great spiral staircase, next to a window. Is she planning to make a picnic in the middle of the hallway or something? I look at her for an explanation, but she just lets go of my hand and approaches the window. There, she takes a rope hanging at it's side and pulls from it, revealing some kind of improvised swing.

"Come on." She says, pointing to it with her head. "We still have to go up."

"Are we going to have dinner on the roof?" I ask, finally understanding Anna's crazy idea.

"It's completely safe, I swear!" She rushes to say when she sees the doubt clearly painted on my face. "I'll pull you up and you'll just have to step off once you get to the top."

"I think I have a better idea." I reply, and not because I don't trust Anna will be able to carry me safety up to the roof, but because that swing looks rather old, and the rope is a bit too thin for my taste, and I don't think the Queen of Arendelle should expose herself like that. So, without waiting for her to reply, I step forward and release my magic, instantly creating a simple yet secure staircase that goes from the window to the roof.

"That's cheating." Anna says frowning, and I realize this is the first time she isn't glad or impressed to see my magic. I feel a bit disappointed to be honest. "I was supposed to be chivalrous here and pull the rope for you." She explains with that cute little pout that I'm always unable to resist. I decide to relent just a little, mostly because my heart does a little dance of joy when she says she wants to be chivalrous with me. Like… she's flirting with me? Could that be possible? Or am I just imagining things?

"Alright." I answer, shaking my head in amusement. "You may pull me up with that thing. As long as you use the stairs I made."

"Yes!" She answers eagerly, jumping in excitement as I get close, before offering me her hand to help me get into the swing. I take it gratefully and cling to the swing's ropes trying not to think about the height as she starts pulling, making me go up slowly but surely.

Soon, I get to the top, where the swing is attached to a pulley, and I yell to Anna to stop before I end up colliding with the roof. She does and I take in my surroundings, trying to decide the best route to get off this thing. I realize I'm in front of a triangular window that lets me see into a room that I've never seen before and is completely dark and empty. And the pulley is attached to the portion of the roof that covers said window. The only visible way to get out of the swing and into the roof seems to be swinging a bit to either my right or left and jump. My stomach twists at the thought.

Damn. This is even less secure than I thought. Maybe I should just make a ramp or something with my powers. Why did I even agreed to this? Oh, right. I'm completely in love with Anna.

Before I can decide whether I want to take my chances jumping, create something with my powers, or go slap the Queen, however, Anna suddenly appears to my right, having probably come here using the stairs I made.

"Need some help?" She asks with a teasing smile.

"… yes." I admit after a moment, in which I consider rejecting her offered hand and get to the roof by myself, more to show how upset I am she made me get into this thing than because of my pride. Still, I end up taking her hand and letting her pull me towards her, until the distance between me and the roof is short enough for me to jump safely into it.

I do just that, but I almost lose my balance when I land, and Anna has to take a couple of steps back to prevent us from falling to our deaths. However, she slips and falls on her butt, but thankfully we land safely on the roof. Well, _she_ lands on the roof; I end up on top of her.

"I-I'm sorry." I mumble, blushing when I realize that her breasts (her _very_ soft, very wonderful breasts) are touching mine. I quickly try to get up, but she grabs me, stopping me.

"We're still on the edge." She reminds me. And I look up at her eyes, only to realize they're only inches away from mine, and end up blushing even harder and deviating my gaze with difficulty. "We better not make any sudden movements."

I nod, and we proceed to slowly and carefully get up, supporting ourselves on the side of the triangular window. At the end we manage to get up, but the slope is still too steep for me to be comfortable, and as soon as I feel like slipping again, I end up clinging to the nearest thing like my life depended on it. That thing being Anna. Who of course chuckles at this, but still understands my fear and holds me firmly, reassuring me with a soft whisper that almost get lost in the cold wind of the night.

"It's okay. We're safe, I promise."

I nod, but keep holding her for a couple more seconds before I calm down enough to separate slightly from her. She gives me a reassuring smile and then takes my hand to lead me towards the spot where we're going to have dinner, which thankfully isn't that far away, in a nearby portion of the roof, where a picnic basket has been tied to a post. I still decide to freeze my feet to the ground as I walk, so the chances to fall are minimal. Just a precaution.

And so, we proceed to sit down next to the basket and Anna extracts some pastries from it. Mostly pieces of different cakes, but also some muffins and other sweets. She offers them to me and I decide for a piece of chocolate cake.

"Can I ask what the occasion is?" I ask as I take it. That question has been bugging me ever since I discovered we weren't eating in the dining room or in the Queen's study, as always. But now it's even more evident this is special, given there's chocolate cake involved.

"Oh, you know." She shrugs like it's no big deal, but even with the moon as our only light source, I can make out her barely hidden smile. Not to mention she's been pretty excited ever since she went to fetch me at the dining room. "I just wanted to see if you could handle heights." She ends up teasing me, to which I respond poking her ribs. She jumps and almost loses her balance, but I quickly grab her to prevent an accident.

"Hey!" She protests, glaring at me as she rubs her sore ribs. "I could have fallen, you know?"

"I wouldn't have let you." I reply playfully, though I internally remind myself not to poke Anna's ribs again or do something else that could potentially make her fall while we're up here. "Now answer my question." I demand semi-seriously as I take a bite of my cake. Even though I should have expected it from the one person that probably loves chocolate even more than I do, I'm still surprised to discover it's so delicious I can't help but moaning at the flavor.

"Well… I figured that after all the stress we went through preparing our meeting with the council, the least we deserved were a few cakes from the finest cake shop in Arendelle, so I spent the whole afternoon choosing them." She explains. "Though it's more of a reward for you, for such a good job you made discovering all those facts and crafting your arguments. I bet you gave them some things to think about."

"Do you think it'll make a difference on what they ultimately decide?" I ask, hoping she'll help calm down my doubts, but to my dismay, she sighs.

"I don't know." She admits with a grimace. "They are old-fashioned wealthy men. Most of them don't approve of a "foreign noble" being my counselor, and fear and hate Northerners." She pauses for a moment, and turns to me, her optimistic smile suddenly appearing on her face. "But who knows? Maybe they're more reasonable than I give them credit for."

"Even if they agree to send an ambassador to talk with the Ice Queen, she could still be hostile. And in that case, a war between Arendelle and the Northern Lands would be practically unavoidable." I remind her.

"Or she could not be in the Northern Lands." She counters, giving me with a look that speaks for itself. She still thinks I could be the Ice Queen, even if she doesn't have as much information as I do (like the fact I was born with my powers). Honestly, at this point I would be more shocked if I _wasn't_ the Ice Queen.

I'm about to express my concerns about this fact, but Anna cuts me off before I can even say a word, probably sensing my inner turmoil.

"Anyways, we shouldn't talk about that." She says quickly, deviating her gaze towards the horizon, where the moon shines brightly on the sky, casting its white light into the black and calm waters of the fjord. There's a light breeze that comes from the ocean, softly caressing our faces and gradually setting a quiet and peaceful atmosphere, like it agrees with Anna. "Tonight I just want us both to relax and enjoy each other's company." Saying that, she turns to me and gives me one of those precious smiles of hers. One of those smiles that are just pure and simple happiness. One of those smiles that make me forget about my worries, and everything that's wrong with the world and think, for a moment, that nothing could possibly make me sad again as long as I have Anna at my side.

So of course I end up smiling like a fool, so much that my cheeks hurt. But I don't care. I'm with Anna. And when I'm with Anna, I know I can't possibly be happier.

"You know why I brought you here?" She asks, but I barely pay attention to her words. Right now, all I can concentrate on are the way her soft and rosy lips move, and even end up imagining a million ways of leaning towards her and kissing her.

But I'm frozen on my spot. And I don't move. Heck, I'm not sure I'm even breathing!

"W-why?" I'm barely able to respond after a few seconds of silence. I lick my dry lips unconsciously.

"The view." She says, turning again to look at the fjord. I, however, keep looking intently at Anna, like she'll disappear if I let her out of my sight.

"The view?" I repeat, struggling to focus on the words, and not my rather inappropriate fantasies.

"Uh huh." She nods. "When I was younger I would escape here often, either to see the ships come into the fjord during the day, or to contemplate the stars dancing on the water at night." She giggles joyfully at the memories. "Sometimes when I was lucky, I could even see the northern lights, or a shooting star."

"Did you make wishes as well?" I ask, making a conscious effort to follow up with the conversation. But it's too hard! My mind is working slower than usual, probably because I have two fantasies about kissing Anna for every normal thought I can come up with. This is getting ridiculous!

"Yes." She sighs with nostalgia. "I always wished…" At this point, she pauses and turns to look at me. And my heart stops when I realize her gaze could only possibly be described as _loving_.

"Y-yeah?" I prompt, unconsciously getting closer to her. I barely even register my hand landing on top of hers. If she realizes this, she doesn't say a thing.

"I wished one day I could meet a Northerner." She finishes with a soft voice and half lidded eyes, her face being so close to me, I can feel her hot breath over my lips and smell the chocolate-y scent product of the sweets she ate.

What happens next is both something I was expecting, and something I thought was most probably never going to happen.

I don't even know who made the first move, or if it was simultaneous. Maybe we just instinctively knew what the other was wanting, and acted on it. All I know is that, before I could stop to think what I was doing, our faces got closer, my eyes shut and I felt hot lips over mine.

At first I'm so overwhelmed I stop breathing and think for a moment that I'm going to pass out. Then I remind myself to inhale and exhale and both my heart and my lungs resume their normal functions, though ten times faster than before. At the same time, I feel a rather pleasant sensation on the lower part of my belly that only intensifies when Anna takes my lower lip between hers and starts sucking.

I have to consciously suppress a moan at this, and try to reciprocate the actions, pressing my mouth harder against hers and caressing her upper lip with the tip of my tongue. She seems to like this, as she hums in approval before letting out a sigh of content.

I don't know if this is my first kiss. Actually, going by my memories about Helen, I'd say it most probably isn't. But it sure feels like it for me. It's everything I'd expect a first kiss to be. It's warm, it's gentle, and there's no hurry. We take our time to explore the other's lips, but without going too far, since this is all new. There's passion, but also slight hesitance. But above all, there's love.

Sooner than I would have liked though, we separate and the kiss is over. Which perhaps is a good thing, because we're both deep red, agitated and out of breath. We still stay close to each closer, however, as we fight to calm down from the overwhelming experience we just shared.

But suddenly Anna smiles. It's a wide smile that soon enough turns into a giggle, and then a laughter. And I can't help but laugh too. Because now I know… now we _both_ know our feelings are reciprocated. And it's such a relief! It's such a wonderful occasion! It's so liberating to be finally able to express our love for each other that we just… we can't stop kissing, and laughing, and kissing again, and laughing while kissing.

I know it may look somewhat weird, or crazy, but honestly I don't care. Against all odds, the Queen of Arendelle fell for an escaped Northerner. An ice-wielder woman. And I fell for her too. And right now I couldn't possibly ask for more.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Especially that last part ;) And if you did, please leave a review telling me your thoughts. I really appreciate them.**

 **Also, I'd be very grateful if you checked out a drawing I made for this scene (you know, the kissing part). My DeviantArt is Tania Hylian, and my Tumblr as well.**

 **Thank you so much for reading, and also thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13. See you soon :)**

 **Oh, and even though I know it's not your tradition (at least not for most of you), happy Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead).**


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20.**

I'm getting ready as fast as I possibly can, even though I'm still half-asleep. I didn't want to wake up this early today, considering yesterday I stayed up with Anna way past my usual bed time (which I don't regret at all, by the way). But… unfortunately duty calls.

Gerda came to wake me up not too long ago, saying that the Queen required my presence. At first I was delighted, thinking maybe she just wanted to see me earlier than usual so we had more time to… _kiss_ (Wow, just thinking about it makes me blush so hard I surely look like a tomato). But no. When I asked, Gerda told me there was an urgent situation Anna needed to attend, and that she'd requested my help on the matter. I can't say I didn't feel disappointed.

But anyways. I guess duty is first. And besides, hopefully we will be able to talk about our feelings once this urgent matter is over. Or at least kiss. I like her kisses.

Just when I'm starting to drift off (again) as I recall with utmost detail the events of last night, however, the door opens and I jump slightly in my chair, blushing when I realize I had been staring into my reflection without even starting to brush my hair for a few minutes. Then I see Anna's reflection as she enters my room, and blush even more. I've been thinking about her and how sweet and wonderful her lips are ever since we parted ways yesterday. I even dreamt about her! So it's no wonder when I finally have her in front of me, I proceed to stare at her like I've never seen her before.

And it's not really my fault. She looks stunning in a dress composed of a copper skirt, green bodice and black sleeves. Those really are her colors. They help highlight her shiny greenish eyes and red hair. So of course, all air leaves my lungs as I let out a dreamy sigh at the impressive sight of the gorgeous queen, and continue to openly gawk at her.

I'd feel bad, except that she's doing the exact same thing. She's standing just a few feet away from the doorway, apparently frozen on the spot, as she eyes me with both desire and doubt; longing and hesitation. To be fair, I probably have the same expression. I want to get up, cross the room and kiss her passionately on the lips. I want to feel her mouth against mine again. I want to hold her close to me, and caress her body with both tenderness and lust… but… she's the Queen. As much as it pains me, she's the Queen before she's Anna. And as a Queen, she can't just be kissing me when others could see us. I am a Northerner, after all.

"Uh… Hi." She says after a few moments, heat rising to her cheeks. "Uhm… you're not ready yet."

"I was just brushing my hair. I'll be ready in a minute." I assure her, finding it really cute that she gets so flustered just by seeing me. Though, judging by the rising temperature of my body and the fast beating of my heart, I'd say I must be equally flustered. But at least I didn't stutter. Yet.

"Good." She gives me a smile and then goes to sit on my bed, waiting for me to get ready before we go have breakfast. We stay in silence, but it's _so_ tense. I don't think I've ever been silent with Anna before, and it's getting on my nerves. I try to search for something to say as I put up my hair in a bun, but the seconds pass and my mind continues to be completely blank. Well, not completely. I kinda want to tell her how beautiful she is, and how much I want to kiss her and love her for the rest of my life, but… maybe that'd make things even more awkward between us.

Is it too soon to be saying things like that to each other? Would it sound corny? What if she gets scared by my eagerness? What if…?

Okay. I need to calm down. Anna loves me… I think. She is in love with me, at least. Well, she likes me? Or she likes kissing me. Or… Damn, I'm so nervous! I can't think straight. And now the silence is even more awkward. All that can be heard is Anna's fingers playing with my covers as she looks anywhere but me. I briefly wonder if she regrets what we did last night. That is, until she finally looks up, sighs and speaks.

"Elsa?" She asks, and I hum in acknowledgment, not trusting my voice to speak normally. "Uh… about last night…"

I feel my stomach drop at her words in dread, but, despite myself, when she doesn't continue talking, I have to prompt her so I don't die from the suspense.

"Y-yeah?" I stutter.

"I mean, we kissed and all, but… we didn't really talk about it?" She ends her statement as a question, sounding oddly insecure. I turn to look at her and saw her staring at the floor and adorably biting her lip.

"Uhm… yeah. We didn't talk much." It's the only thing I can come up with, despite wanting to do something to reassure Anna. Perhaps I need reassurance myself.

"Might be because our lips were…" She coughs awkwardly before she can finish the phrase, but I still understand what she was going to say, and blush madly at this. So does she. "Anyways." She continues, clearly embarrassed. "So, I was wondering what kind of relationship you want us to have?"

"What do you mean?" I ask. I thought I had made my intentions pretty clear.

"Well… it'd be too soon for us to get engaged, or something like that." She chuckles nervously, dismissing the possibility. And though my love-struck mind feels a little hurt about it, a more rational part of me knows that it's true. "And we can't exactly continue to be just friends, right?" I nod, when she looks at me for confirmation. "Well, I thought maybe we could court each other, even if the council may not approve of it."

"W-why wouldn't they?" I ask, suddenly feeling nervous. I don't know much about this courting thing after all.

"Because you're supposed to be a noble from a kingdom that's already our ally." She shrugs. "If you were, say, from the Southern Iles, a relationship between us would be potentially beneficial for my kingdom."

"I see…" I answer, wondering if Anna is questioning whether or not it's convenient for us to be in a relationship.

"Though, if you were the Ice Queen, we could stablish an alliance through marriage…" She trails off, blushing at her own words. "Uh… in the future of course."

"Don't you think they'd be even less likely to approve of our relationship if they knew I'm a Northerner?" I question.

"I don't know. Probably." She answers thoughtful. "I think I could still form an argument though. If you wanted to reveal your true identity, that is."

"I don't." I quickly answer, fearing very much what would happen if they knew about my powers. They'd probably demand for me to be executed on the spot. And I doubt even Anna could protect me from all of them. More so if I turn out to be the Ice Queen.

"Okay." She sighs. "It's your decision. But I have a feeling this will only get worse the more we wait."

"As your counselor, I disagree." At my answer, she only nods slightly disappointed. I wish I could be as sure as she is that I won't die if we reveal I'm an ice-wielder. But I'm not. And I do appreciate my life very much.

"I knew you'd say that. But I still urge you to think about it." I nod briefly as a response before she continues talking. "Now, about our relationship… we could maybe court in secret? At least for a while, until we come up with something to convince the council it's good for us to be together."

"Sounds good to me." I answer, but what I really mean is 'I'm fine with literally anything as long as we're together. Please don't leave me'. Of course, I'd prefer not to have yet _another_ secret to hide, but… I guess that's just not possible at the moment.

"Great!" She exclaims, getting up from the bed in one jump, wearing that big genuine smile that I was starting to miss. "I leave you to continue combing your hair then. I'll see you in the dining room." And with that she turns around and starts walking to the door. I'm disappointed, to say the least that we didn't even share a good morning kiss, but… I guess our relationship is still new, and we have to be discreet if we don't want to be caught, but… I really want to kiss her again! I literally dreamt about it the whole night!

Just when I'm about to let out a big disappointed sigh, however, Anna pauses before opening the door, glances briefly at me and then runs to where I am, taking my face in her hands and placing a passionate, yet brief kiss on my lips. It all happens so soon that I don't even have time to close my eyes, yet when I see her cheerful smile and her eyes so full of joy staring at me just inches away from my face, my heart does a little happy dance and a pleasant sensation runs through my whole body. But before I can say anything, or kiss her again, she disappears through the door.

* * *

The atmosphere is a lot less tense when we have breakfast, and also when we ride on the carriage, but there's still no kissing and little to no flirting, almost like nothing had happened last night, which… I don't know, maybe I could just take matters in my own hands and initiate said actions myself. But again, we have to keep it secret. And besides, I'm afraid she wouldn't answer as I'd hope, which of course would hurt me greatly.

It also doesn't help that there are some very serious issues to think about right now, instead of our barely blossoming relationship. Like the fact that General Haugen says he has evidence that Northerners are much more dangerous than we think, and is going to prove it to both Anna and the council before they make a decision they regret. Of course, this news disturbed us greatly, as we suspect he actually captured a real Northerner this time… and he plans to execute them in the main plaza, since that's where he asked us to meet him.

Anna could have sent a messenger with a letter, telling him not to do it, but she figured it was much more reliable for us to go in person. Plus, if we don't accept his request to see him, maybe he'll do something even more drastic in order to get the Queen to listen to him. So yeah. We better go. I better be on the defensive though, in case this is a trap. I have to be careful about what I say and do. I have to control my emotions. Conceal, don't feel.

Of course, the whole ride to the plaza I keep doing the same thing I shouldn't be doing; worry. I worry he's just going to piss me off in front of the whole kingdom, so my powers get out of control and I end up exposing myself. I worry he really has a Northerner this time, and that I won't be able to save them from him. Not without causing a massacre, that is. I worry he'll, one way or another, convince everyone ice-wielders are even more dangerous than they already believe. I worry he'll provoke a war with the Northern Lands.

And all this worry makes my powers grow even more agitated, which only makes me worry even more. My hands start to get sweaty and cold, forming frost inside of my gloves. My breathing becomes swallow and quick, and I soon see mist coming out of my mouth. And my stomach twists so painfully that snowflakes start falling from the carriage's ceiling.

But just when I think maybe I should just say I'm sick, excuse myself and let Anna deal with this, I feel a warm hand place itself over mine, and I look up to see Anna's concerned eyes.

"Are you alright?" She asks, though she must already know the truth based on all the ice and cold. So I don't bother trying to lie.

"I'm nervous." I admit with a grimace.

"Come here." She says opening her arms as an invitation for me to hug her. I don't waste any time doing just that, and instantly feel relief as a wave of warmth washes all over me, placating my powers and thawing the ice. I guess it's good knowing Anna is still willing to show me her affection and support in public. Just to a certain extent.

"I'm scared too." She admits after a moment, and I separate from her hug just enough to look into her eyes, but her gaze is lost, like she's thinking about something that requires her whole attention.

"Anna…" I'm searching for some words that will reassure her when suddenly I feel her lips over mine. It's brief, and when it ends we both look to the windows, to make sure no one saw us, but nevertheless it fills me with warmth and joy. Suddenly, I feel like I'll be able to take whatever the General has in store for me as long as I have Anna at my side. And she apparently feels the same, because now she's looking at me with love and a great amount of confidence.

Before I can kiss her again to relive the feeling though, the carriage comes to a stop and I look at the window to see we're at the plaza. My stomach twists instantly at the sight, but I force myself to swallow my fears and separate from Anna to allow her to exit our vehicle. I follow her soon after, with Kristoff helping me out, and we look around to find the General.

He's just a few feet away, standing proud and tall next to his own carriage. At his sides, all the councilmen stand, most looking disoriented and curious, but some appear to already know what we're doing here.

It's midday, and the sun shines bright in the sky, reflecting on the white stones that form the pavement and the church in a blinding way, so it takes me a few seconds to adapt and be able to distinguish the curious crowd that's surrounding us, being kept at a prudent distance by the soldiers. Aside from that, everything seems quite normal; the temperature is warm, as expected of a summer day, but a light breeze keeps us fresh enough. In the distance, the voices of many citizens are heard, as well as the sound of hooves hitting the pavement. People are just going about on their normal life all around us.

Weird. I don't see anything unusual. No Northerners in sight.

"My Queen." General Haugen bows to Anna as greeting, before addressing me with a court nod. The others follow his example and, once we've all exchanged pleasantries, Anna finally asks what was it that required her presence so urgently and in such short notice. By her tone, I can tell she's not amused.

"Well, you see, your majesty. I captured a Northerner." He promptly explains, and at his words, some people let out surprised gasps, while others just stay silent in shock. I try not to look _too_ angry. I hope this isn't another mistake like last time. And even if it isn't, I'll try to make him free whoever he captured.

"Really?" Anna asks skeptical, and even angrier than me. "Is it for real this time, or are you just capturing innocent people again?"

"See for yourself." He simply answers, and at his signal, two soldiers open a carriage that was just a few feet away from our spot. From there, they pull out a man in chains with his head covered by an old sac. He is dressed with the uniform of Arendelle's army. "He was a soldier who worked near the northern border, but all this time he fooled us, making us think he was one of us, when in reality, he was born in the Northern Lands."

I feel a shiver run down my spine. I have no problem believing that story, seeing as I myself escaped the Northern Lands and found a new life here, hiding on plain sight. And if he's indeed telling the truth, he'd have no problem making everyone paranoid. They'll believe everyone is a potential Northerner, and the witch hunt will start again. Many innocents will die, not only ice-wielders. Just like it happened when king Agdar ascended the throne.

But what can I do? Trying to stop him from revealing the truth about this man will only seem that much more suspicious. And if I get too angry, I could end up exposing myself. No, I have to think of something better before acting.

"How do you know that's true?" Anna questions, obviously trying to sound skeptic, but a small waver in her voice reveals how nervous this situation makes her.

"He confessed." The General answers with a proud and malicious smirk, knowing that if the man confessed literally nothing can save him. "And I bet he'll likely do it again, so you can hear it too."

At this, the soldiers holding the man bring him to the Queen and make him kneel in front of us. Then, they remove the sac from his head and reveal a man in his twenties with brown hair, blue eyes and a beard that looks like he hasn't shaved in a few days. He's not an ice-wielder, which I guess is why he isn't wearing ice-proof shackles, and he looks really scared. This enrages me quite a bit. It's another injustice, just like the last time.

"He's not an ice-wielder!" Anna yells angrily to the General before I have the chance to do so. But he doesn't even flinch at her outburst, and continues to wear an arrogant smirk.

"I thought you already knew not all Northerners are ice-wielders?" He asks, clearly amused when Anna opens and closes her mouth, apparently not knowing what to say in response. Honestly, I don't have an answer for that either.

"I-I… w-well… is that true?" She settles for talking to the prisoner, which I guess is the only way to prove General Haugen is wrong. "Are you a Northerner?"

"Y-yes, your majesty." He stutters, so nervous it's very evident he's trembling. "My mother was an ice-wielder, but she escaped the Northern Lands when I was very young. She got wounded, however, and died soon after. I somehow managed to get to a village and was raised at the orphanage. Then, I decided to become a soldier." All of this he says looking to the ground and with a broken voice. As he gets to the last part, tears threaten to fall from his eyes. "All I ever wanted was to serve my kingdom. Please don't kill me." Now he's openly crying and the sobs shook his body. I can't help feeling sorry for him; his life couldn't have been easy, and now he's being arrested for having escaped the Northern Lands. I shoot Anna a worried glance, and she returns it, together with a questioning look. Her face says it all, she doesn't have to ask the question out loud. What are we going to do?

As her counselor, I should have an answer. But I don't. I'm too shocked right now, and all I can do is thinking how sorry I am for this man, and how mad I am with the General. My powers threaten to burst out, but I make a conscious effort not to let them. The Northerner's sobs don't help much either. I think maybe we should calm him down and interrogate him later.

"Is that true?" I ask, placing my hand on his shoulder. This seems to give him enough focus to look up and stop crying so badly.

"Yes, but please. I'm a citizen of Arendelle. I'm loyal to Queen Anna, I swear!" I kneel down to be at his level, and I'm about to assure him that we believe him and he'll be treated fairly, when before I can process what's happening, his hand quickly moves and grabs my hair. Instinctively, I take a step back, but I end up falling on my butt because he's still holding firmly my hair. I feel a few strands being pulled, and let out a little squeak of pain. Finally, when I'm able to process what happened, I look up at him and see… he has my wig on his hand. And a malicious expression on his face.

I hear surprised gasps from the councilmen, and the people who are close enough to see me, and I feel my heart rate accelerating as a rush of adrenaline courses through my veins. I get up quickly, instinctively knowing I'm more vulnerable sitting down, but… when I hear the shocked murmurs of the crowd and the voices of a few people calling me a monster and abomination, I realize it was a mistake. Now every curious observer can see me.

I shoot a panicked at the General, and see him wearing a triumphant smile and giving orders to the nearby soldiers. Then I stare at the councilmen, who mostly have outraged expressions, though others seem to still be trying to process what just happened.

I myself don't quite believe this. It has to be a nightmare, right? A terrible, terrible, nightmare. Except I know it's very real, and it only gets worse when my fear gets so intense, it starts manifesting in the shape of frost forming under my feet.

"Capture her!" The General tells his men. "She's attacking us!"

"No!" Anna yells, but it's too late; the soldiers are already coming for me. I try to get away from them, only to realize I'm trapped between them and an angry crowd that would probably be very happy to kill me here and now.

My powers instantly grow more agitated, and ice spikes form in a protective circle around me, just like when I was first captured in the little village so many weeks ago. Only this time they are larger and more menacing. And are rapidly spreading around me, almost impaling some of the soldiers.

Knowing a death will only make things worse, I try to regain control, but I can't. The crowd is barely being contained by the few soldiers who didn't go after me, and some are starting to throw rotten fruit and other nasty things at me. Most don't reach me, but soon a tomato lands on my shoulder and paints my fine dress of red. I can't concentrate like this! Not with the soldiers seconds away of getting killed in front of everyone!

"Please, stay away!" I warn them, fearing as much for their lives as I fear for mine, but they don't listen, and are soon breaking my ice with their swords.

The sight makes my legs tremble. This won't end well. I start breathing more rapidly, and my heart beats so fast I start feeling light-headed, and for a moment I think I'm going to pass out.

Then, I feel something hit my back, and then my stomach, and I also start feeling enraged. Betrayed. I fought for them! I stood up against the General when he was taking innocent people. And yet there they are in the crowd, demanding I'm killed just because I have ice powers.

Before my rage can also manifest and cause more damage, however, I feel a searing pain in my right arm, and let out a scream, clenching the spot where the wound is and feeling a warm liquid emanating from it. Hurt and angry, I search for my attacker, and see various soldiers holding crossbows, all pointed towards me.

I raise my hand and prepare myself to disarm them (or kill them, I'm not all that sure right now) but… before I can do anything, I feel something hit my head and stumble backwards, almost getting impaled with my own ice. I feel blood also falling from my forehead and I hear a rock hit the ground. Someone must have thrown it at me.

I decide to ignore it, seeing as the crossbows are the greatest danger at the moment, but when I try to aim, everything turns blurry and I find myself unable to focus on anything. The pain on my forehead intensifies slowly but surely, to a point where I just want to curl up on the ground and wait for it to stop. I know I can't do that. I know my life is in the line, but I just can't fight it. Much less while trying to dodge flying objects and arrows.

I feel my mind starting to get numb, like I'm drifting off to sleep. I tell myself that I can't let that happen. Not now. That if I fall asleep I will never wake up. But it's beyond my control, and soon I fall to my knees, still trying to stay awake.

Just when I think everything is lost, however, I hear ice breaking at my side. At first I think it's a soldier coming to finish me off, but then I see a copper skirt that I know all too well, and realize it's actually Anna holding a sword that she probably stole from a soldier.

"Stop!" She yells as she comes to protectively stand in front of me. I instantly feel relief like I've never felt it before. My heart rate evens out, as well as my breathing, and snow stops falling from the sky.

Just then, Kristoff also comes and positions himself next to Anna, together forming a human barricade between me and the soldiers.

"Stop!" Anna yells again and, apparently realizing it's a direct order from the Queen, the soldiers instantly stop trying to murder me. The citizens are slower though. It takes about a minute, but when they all realize just who is talking and what she's saying, they do obey and stay silent, waiting for Anna to talk.

The Queen is shaking badly, the sword looking like it's about to fall from her hand. At first I think she's scared or nervous, seeing as she never liked speaking in public, but then I hear her voice, and come to the realization she's mostly angry.

"Y-you should be ashamed!" She yells with such fury I bet even the soldiers are intimidated. "You should _all_ be ashamed!" She continues, trembling even more, if possible. "How can you all just try to kill an innocent woman the moment it's revealed she's an ice-wielder?!" She pauses, sobs interrupting her speech. "She didn't have a choice, you know? That's just who she is! Are you really going to murder her because of something she had no control over? I believe everyone has a right to be judged by their actions, not their appearance, or their possession of magic. And Elsa has done nothing but help me become a better Queen, and look out for _your_ interests! She defended you from the General just the other day! And yet you turn your backs on her at the first opportunity!" She sobs some more, apparently unable to contain it. "I honestly thought the citizens of Arendelle were good, honest people, but it looks like I was wrong. It looks like they are all ungrateful murders. And if that's who you are, I don't want to be your Queen." She concludes her angered speech with a trembling and a sob, as she wipes her tears with her hands.

I am honestly impressed by the way she talked so coherently even in a situation as precarious as this. And honestly, the joy of seeing her defending me with such passion and conviction, even if she had to stand against her whole kingdom, is probably the only thing that kept me awake. Now that it's over, I feel my eyelids start to get heavy again. I continue fighting it, but I know I won't be able to do it for long. Not even when Anna kneels in front of me and takes my face in her hands, a look of utter concern clear on her face.

I don't even hear when she starts calling my name. I only see her teary eyes and scared expression before my vision turns completely black and I lose consciousness.

* * *

 **A/N: Clifhanger! Muahahahahaha! Sorry for the delay though. I hope you liked this chapter, and if you did, please leave a review telling me what you think of it, and what you think will happen to poor Elsa. Reading your comments always encourages me to write more. Thanks for reading and see you soon (I hope).**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13 :)**


	22. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21.**

Everything hurts. And I mean _literally_ everything. From my bruised torso to my sore head. And no, it's not the dull throb of my usual headaches, but a stinging pain right above my left eyebrow. My arm is throbbing in a steadier, but no less severe, agony. And my ears are ringing. And my head's spinning. What's going on?

I try opening my eyes in an attempt to discern my situation, but everything's kinda blurry and chaotic, and my dizziness intensifies. I can only see two predominant colors: teal and yellow. At first I don't know what they are, but then the awful smell gives me the answer: Kristoff, with his teal uniform and blond hair.

And, judging by my position and the feeling of strong arms holding me up, I'd say he's carrying me.

Why? I don't know for sure, but before I can start making questions, my poor head decides it's had enough, and I slip back into unconsciousness.

* * *

When I open my eyes again, the pain has diminished a little, and I also don't feel so dizzy. I'm lying still on my bed, instead of being carried by Kristoff, I've been changed into my nightgown and… apparently my head and arm have been bandaged.

But… I don't understand. How did I get here? The last thing I remember is… Anna! Where is Anna?

I turn left and right, searching for her, but in my prone position my field of sight is highly limited. So I try sitting up, using my arms as support, unfortunately forgetting about my injuries for one second. Of course, I end up whimpering in pain as the injury on my arm re-opens and the one in my head starts throbbing painfully, before falling on the mattress once more.

"Whoa! Easy there." I hear Kristoff's voice, followed by some hurried steps, before he appears on my field of vision. Surprisingly enough, he has a concerned expression all over his face.

"K-kris-t-toff?" I ask trough my dry throat. He seems to realize the problem instantly because he quickly takes a glass that was on the bedside table and fills it with water from a jar, before pressing said glass against my lips. I drink eagerly but carefully, so I don't choke because of my lying position, and soon I've downed it completely and am feeling a bit better. My guard then places the glass back on its place before turning back to me.

I stare at him with desperate curiosity when he just keeps standing there awkwardly without saying a word. I'm actually about to ask him why he's acting so weird when he sighs and goes to sit on the edge of my bed.

"Uhm…. Kristoff?" I call him, when I realize he's again just fidgeting awkwardly and staring at his hands.

"I… guess you have a lot of questions, right?" He finally speaks, still not looking at me.

"Yes. For once, where is Anna?" It's the first thing that comes to my mind. I can't say I wasn't disappointed when I realized she wasn't there when I woke up.

"She's with the council, trying to stop them from acting rashly." He informs me with a grimace. "She'll probably come back soon though; she said it would be better if you were present for said meeting, and so she'll just calm them down a little and schedule a reunion."

"I see…" I purse my lips. That's a meeting I really don't look forward to. "What about the General?" This last question earns a chuckle from Kristoff, which leaves me _very_ confused.

"As you can imagine, our Queen wasn't pleased at all by his actions." He looks like he's trying to contain his laughter as he recalls something. "No joke, she even threatened him with a sword! And she's no swordsman…uh…. swords _woman_ , I guess."

That gets a chuckle out of me too, but in my current state the slightest movement makes the pain increase.

"So, I don't know what punishment she has for him, but I bet it won't be pleasant." He finishes with a mischievous smile, but it soon vanishes as he stares at me. I can sense something's bothering him, but what exactly? I don't know.

"Is something wrong?" I ask, worried that he's hiding bad news from me.

"N-no, no, I just…" He sighs again, and goes back to staring at his hands in a defeated manner. "I think I owe you an apology."

"For what?" is my automatic response, but then I realize why he'd say such a thing. "For failing to protect me back there? Don't worry, I know you did your best, and that's all I could ever ask." I assure him.

"No, that's not… okay, yes, I'm sorry for that too." He says, finally looking back at me again. "But what I wanted to say was… I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you all this time." I want to say that's fine, and that he shouldn't worry about it, but I sense there's more he wants to say and it's quite difficult for him to get the words out, so I stay silent. He seems to take this as a clue to keep going, and does just that.

"I-I just… when I saw all the people there turning against you the moment your wig came off… how they all downright wanted to kill you, even though you hadn't done anything to them… I just thought they looked like a bunch of angry savages. I thought it was unfair for them to treat you like that, and… it kinda reminded me of the night my parents died." I raise an eyebrow, wondering what on earth could be similar about those situations.

"I've tried to forget that night so many times, but I do remember that I lived in a very small town near the northern border, inhabited mostly by ice harvesters. My parents and I had just arrived from a trip, with our sled full of ice when…" He pauses, swallows loudly and stays silent for a few seconds, apparently willing himself not to cry. I want to comfort him, but… I'm sure he's trying to appear strong, so I don't know if that'd be well-received.

"When _they_ arrived." He finally says, his voice full of pain and anger, and his muscles tense. "Maybe five or six ice-wielders, all with ice-made weapons. They didn't even ask questions; they didn't demand for money, or goods. They just… started killing everyone in sight. When someone asked why, they said it was revenge."

His expression hardens even more, and he clenches his hands, like he wishes he could go back in time and punch those ice-wielders in the face. I, on the other hand, am mostly stunned. I never thought he'd share such a story with me, considering I'm an ice-wielder. And I still don't understand what this has to do with what happened to me. Thankfully, he keeps talking.

"Every time I remembered that scene, I saw the hate in their eyes. Utter hate for those that weren't like them, but… though I often denied it, there was also pain and fear on their eyes. And I didn't understand why, until earlier today." He sighs. "The mob that attacked you, they had the same expressions. They hated you just for being different, but they also feared you, and what you represented to them; the loss of their families, their homes… what was dear to them."

"I think what I want to say is… the ice-wielders that attacked my hometown were awful people, yes. But they also had their reasons. And the same can be said about the people who tried to murder you, and… about me." He pauses, but I don't dare saying anything. "I-I… I saw myself in those people; in how I treated you with distrust and assumed the worst out of you just because you have magic. Sure, I never tried to kill you, but that was mostly because of the respect I have for Anna, not because I thought you should be given a chance."

"And I don't want to be like that." He grimaces. "I don't want to be like the people who killed my parents. I don't want to go around hating someone because of something other people did. That's not who I am." He shakes his head in distress. "And I've been too caught up in my hate to realize this. I've been distant, unfriendly, and sometimes even hostile. Which not only damaged the image you have of me, but also my friendship with Anna."

"So… I'm sorry. For being such an ass, and not realizing it sooner." He finally turn back to look at me, and gives me a pleading look that kinda makes him look like an oversized sad puppy. "Can you forgive me?"

"Of course." I say easily, a smile coming naturally to my face. Honestly, I forgave him ever since he saved my life for the first time. I figured then that he was just a good man with a complicated story, and he just needed time to come around. Plus, it's not like he was ever mean to me or anything; he just acted kinda awkward and questioned how much trust Anna put in me. "Really, there's nothing to forgive." I assure him, when he keeps looking skeptically at me.

Fortunately, before Kristoff can continue apologizing, as I can sense he's about to do, the door opens and certain redhead walks in. She's wearing a concerned expression, and she doesn't even look at me at first; instead staring at the ground like she's seriously considering kicking it, or something. She probably expects me to still be unconscious.

However, after she takes a few steps into the room, she seems to notice Kristoff sitting on my bed, so she looks up confused and stares at me wide-eyed. I decide to smile at her, to show her I'm alright, and wave as greeting.

"Hi." I say, which seems to finally make her realize what's going on, because a big smile appears on her face and in less than one second she crosses the room and practically throws herself at me, squeezing me so tightly I can't breathe.

"Oh my god! Elsa, you're awake! I was so worried, I-I… " Before she can effectively squeeze the life out of me (not that I'm really complaining), however, Kristoff grabs her by her collar and pulls her back slightly, laughing amused.

"Calm down, feisty pants, or we'll have to call the doctor again." He says, and at this Anna turns to glare at him, but still ends up releasing me.

"I wasn't hugging her that hard, right Elsa?" She asks, putting me in a difficult situation. I don't want to lie, but I don't want to make her feel bad either.

"Uhm… well…" I start, but she seems to realize this is pretty much an affirmative answer, because she backs away a bit more and eyes me with concern.

"Sorry! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, really." I assure her. "My head hurts a bit, but it's nothing I can't handle."

"Are you sure?" She asks again, gently touching my face and eying me as if trying to see if I don't have any other wounds she hadn't seen. I only nod and give her a little smile, touched that she's so worried about me. Anna keeps staring at me for a few seconds, but then she apparently realizes I'm telling the truth and lets out a sigh, her shoulders relaxing instantly and a smile gracing her beautiful features.

Soon, our eyes find each other and we're unable to look away. I love her eyes. They're of such a beautiful color! Green? Blue? Something in between I guess. So unique. So warm and loving. And happy. So… _close_. Wait. When did they get that close?

The moment I realize Anna's intentions, however, we hear a cough that makes us both jump and turn to see the one responsible. Of course, we find Kristoff staring awkwardly at us, having since long abandoned his previous position at the edge of my bed.

"Uhm… I'll be outside, if you need anything." He says. "And… the doctor said she shouldn't do anything _strenuous_." He then adds awkwardly, face beat red, before pretty much bolting out of the room.

Anna and I blush at what he implied, and she actually lets out a little awkward laugh before speaking in an equally awkward tone.

"Hehe. Stupid Kristoff. Of course we're not going to do _that_! Not that I'd be opposed to…" She blushes even more, so much that in fact her face appears the same color as her hair. "But I mean, you're injured and we've just started courting!" More awkward laughter. "He's a stinker."

"Y-yeah." I stutter, trying not to think about all the fantasies I've had with Anna. Now is not the time for that.

"Anyways." She coughs a bit, obviously trying to regain some composure. "So… are you really okay? You don't see double? How many fingers am I holding up?" She holds up her open hand, all five fingers up, and I just laugh before taking her hand and lowering it until it's on the mattress again.

"Relax, Anna. I'm fine." I answer giggling softly. "Well… at least considering what happened. I honestly thought I was going to die."

"I would never let anyone kill you. You know that." She answers, and in her voice, in the way she looks at my eyes, I see no hesitation. Not even a hint of doubt.

For a moment I feel overwhelmed, and a bit frightful, hearing her say such things just one day after we really got together. But… then I remember her holding a sword and defending me against her whole kingdom; looking fierce and determined. And I realize… I wouldn't let anyone kill her either. I would give my life if necessary. Why? Who knows? That's just how I feel, and feelings aren't always rational. And as scary as it is, this is also very exciting, and it fills me with energy. So at the end, I just give her a gentle smile.

"I know now." I answer. "And… I would have done the same thing for you."

"I know." She says, happiness radiating from her at my words. "That's what love is about, isn't it? Taking care of each other."

She carefully caresses my face with her right hand, almost as if she fears she'll hurt me if she dared press her fingers more firmly against my skin. However, I love feeling Anna's touch, so I lean a little to encourage her to be a bit less careful. But, without previous warning, my mouth is suddenly assaulted by a pair of very persistent lips.

Last night we kept our kisses innocent, even sheepish. And the same can be said about this morning. But now… Anna is pretty much attacking me. She doesn't dare use tongue just jet, but she sucks at my lower lip before biting it gently, then doing the same with my upper lip. I try to kiss her back with the same fervor, but she's much more energetic than me. Probably because I'm injured.

I still like it very much. Even when she finally caresses my lips with her tongue. I know I must be blushing, and panting. And my heart is beating so hard and so fast, I can hear it in my ears. But I don't care, and soon our kisses grow deeper and bolder, and I forget about my pain. All I can feel is pleasure; sparks of electricity that run through my whole body.

I don't think I've ever experienced anything quite like this before. All I want is to kiss Anna all the time. Everyday. Every waking moment of the rest of my life. I know it sounds weird, and I know it must be my lust talking, but that's how I feel.

And of course, it is all over _way_ too soon. How much time we were kissing? A few minutes? Half-an-hour even? Too little for my taste. I pout at her, but Anna only giggles and then gives me a small peck before pulling away again.

"I'm sorry, you heard Kristoff. No strenuous activities for you." She answers with a teasing smile, and I pout even harder.

"We're just kissing!" I protest.

"Yes, but we're kissing rather passionately, don't you think?" She says wriggling her eyebrows in a way she surely thinks is suggestive, but really it's just funny, so I end up laughing at her.

"Oh, I don't know. I think we can kiss even _more_ passionately." I reply, winking in what I think is a flirty way. It seems to work though, because she blushes and looks down embarrassed.

"Y-you flirt!" She stutters cutely flustered. I'm actually impressed I have such an effect on her. I like it. "You should be resting, not… t-teasing me!"

"But I'm not tired." I protest, even though as I say this, I notice how sore my body truly is, and how much more my head hurts now than before kissing Anna. Must be because of my accelerated pulse. She probably notices my change of expression because she frowns.

"Don't lie." Anna chastises me. "You do need rest, and as much as I like talking to you, I think you really should get some sleep. I need you to be well enough tomorrow."

"We're going to talk with your council, aren't we?" I pretty much groan.

"Yes." She answers angrily. "But honestly, I should just fire them all. And throw the General in the darkest and awful-est… er, _most awful_ dungeon in Arendelle!"

"That… doesn't sound wise." I say carefully. Anna looks at me like I just said the most ridiculous thing ever.

"He tried to kill you!"

"No. He only exposed my true identity. Everyone else tried to kill me." I argue, trying to put my feelings aside. Because sure, I'd like to turn him into a human icicle myself, but rationally I know that'd probably be an exaggeration.

"That was probably what he wanted to happen!" She screams, obviously frustrated because I don't agree with her.

"Maybe." I shrug. "But he still had no control over it, so in a fair trial he'd probably go free. And you want to be a fair Queen, don't you?" At this, Anna just grimaces and mumbles angrily, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What was that?" I ask, partially amused by her childish attitude.

"Nothing. I still think I should give him a harsh punishment, or else everyone would think they can try to kill you without consequence." She answers after a few moments, now sounding slightly calmer.

"That's true." I nod. "I'm not saying you should just let this slide; I just think you should be more careful so that you don't mistake your feelings with the facts. Only then you'd be able to give better judgement."

"What do you suggest then?" I smile at her question, glad that she's so eager to hear my advice now (as opposed to when this counselor thing first started), but… given the relationship we have now, I'm afraid she'll just do whatever I say instead of using her own head to solve things. And I'm far from perfect; I make mistakes sometimes too. Plus, she's the Queen. It's her responsibility and she has to assume it.

"I think… that's your decision to make. Just think it through, and you should come up with an answer soon enough." She seems like she's about to protest, but I quickly continue before she can say a word. "And if I don't think you made the right decision, I'll tell you; that's what I'm here for. But ultimately what you do and or don't do is your choice."

"It's easier to let anyone else decide." She says with a grimace, but I can tell she's just joking, so I giggle. "But anyways, it wasn't my intention to make my counselor work just after being attacked by an angry mob." She says, giggling along with me. "And I really think you should get some rest."

"Don't go." I practically whine, sensing that she's practically saying goodnight to me even though the sun is just starting to set on the horizon.

"I'm not going anywhere." She answers, clearly amused by the tone I used. Still, she takes my hand in a reassuring gesture. "Please, go to sleep. I promise I'll stay here the whole time."

I can't say her words and the way she keeps looking at me, like I'm the only thing that matters in her world, don't warm my heart to a point even the ice in my veins seems to be the temperature of hot chocolate, but I'm still hesitant to just let her stay with me when she's the Queen and surely has better things to do with her time.

"Are you sure?" I ask, biting my lip. "I wouldn't want you to stop doing important stuff just because of me."

"Nothing is more to me than you." She shrugs, smiling naturally. "So don't think you'll get rid of me so soon."

I smile at her and squeeze her hand a bit to show her how much I actually appreciate her doing this for me and saying such loving things like she's been doing so for ages. I don't think I could be able to express my gratitude and love for her with words even if I didn't have a horrible headache.

Talking about my headache… I think some sleep _would_ make me feel better. Plus, I'm sure that's what Anna wants me to do. And I bet she won't even dare move until I close my eyes and let sleep take me. So yeah, I better relax and do as she said.

It sure takes me a few minutes, with the warm radiating from Anna so close to me, making me want to kiss her again. But at the end, and after taking many deep breaths and concentrating solely on the beating of my heart and inhaling and exhaling, I finally feel sleep coming to me.

Before it completely takes me though, I see a little fragment from my past.

* * *

 _I'm lying on my bed, trying not to complain too much about everything hurting. But oh well, I guess I was kinda asking for it by eating ice-cream in a land almost entirely covered by ice all year round. Though it's not every day I can get my hands on some coffee I stole from the guards, and what better way to drink coffee than to freeze it before eating it? Granted, I mostly wanted to show Helen what ice-cream is, since she couldn't understand why eating something_ frozen _could be good. At the end, it was worth it, just to see her little amazed smile._

 _Still. Maybe it wasn't so wise, as Bulda has no problem reminding me every five seconds._

" _What were you thinking, Elsa?" She says for the tenth time in the last hour. "Ice-cream? Really? As if it wasn't cold enough here. It's a miracle little Helen didn't catch a cold too."_

" _I'm sorry." I say sheepishly before sneezing quite loudly into an ice-made handkerchief._

" _You're not nearly sorry enough." It's her retort. "Come on, drink this. I bet it'll make you feel a bit better." She says, handing me a cup of hot water with some herbs in it. I guess to diminish the cold's symptoms. I do so and, once I'm finished, she takes the cup from my hands and exits the "room" (just four curtains made of old clothes surrounding my "bed"), probably to go wash it._

 _I sigh, thinking I'll be left alone for a few more hours, until Olaf and Marshmallow come back from the forest, when suddenly one of my curtains opens and Helen comes in. I'm about to ask her what she's doing here, considering Bulda prohibited her from seeing me until I'm cured, but she places her finger on her lips to indicate silence, so I just nod and smile at her as greeting._

" _Hi." I whisper when she comes to stand next to my bed. She waves with her hand, as she always does. For some reason or other, she very rarely speaks, ever since I saved her two months ago. But that's okay. It's part of who she is, so I like it._

" _You shouldn't be here. You'll get sick." I say, trying to be responsible even if I want with all my heart for her to stay._

 _Helen just shakes her head, sits next to me and takes my hand from under the covers. The message it's clear; she's not going anywhere. She doesn't want me to be alone even if that means she'll catch a cold._

" _Helen…" I weakly try to protest, but she places a finger over my lips to silence me. She opens her mouth and for a moment I think she's going to speak, and hold my breath as I wait for her to use her beautiful voice, but… then she bites her lip and just reaches inside her jacket, pulling out a heavy object from it. For a moment I think it's another old blanket, but then she places it over my stomach and I realize the truth._

 _My eyes widen and I gently take it like I'm afraid it'll disappear at any moment. Maybe I am. I haven't seen one of those since… well, since I came here two years ago. I caress the leather cover, and inhale its characteristic smell, almost not believing it's real. More so when I read the title:_ The tales of Grenruff the warrior _. One of the most popular novels in the whole kingdom._

" _Where did you find it?" I say, looking at her with wide eyes. She doesn't answer with words, but she doesn't really have to. There's only one place in the Northern Lands where books can be found; the soldiers' cabin. "You stole it from the guards?! Are you crazy? What if they had captured you?!"_

 _She shrinks at my outburst and gives me a sad look, like she thinks I didn't like her present, and I quickly reassure her. I can't really stay mad at her after all. Not after she did such a thing for me._

" _Look. I like it a lot. You know how much I miss books; I'm always complaining about it after all. And I'm touched you went through all the trouble to get one for me, but… I don't want you risking yourself like that, okay?" She gives me a nod, looking like a chastised little puppy, and I smile at her to make her feel better._

" _Come on, lay down next to me. I'll read you a few chapters." I say, making her some space in my bed. Instantly, she lays down and cuddles me, humming happily in satisfaction when our bodies' heat fights off the cold from the outside. I giggle and open the book on the first chapter so I can start reading._

" _Once upon a time, in a magical kingdom not too far from here…"_

* * *

 **A/N: Hi! I hope you liked this cute little chapter. Thanks for reading, as always, and please leave a review telling me your thoughts on the story. Now that it's winter break I should be able to update faster, but a few words of encouragement are always a great motivator :)**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22.**

Even though this day has just started, I can safely say today is going to be one of the worst days of my life. Only three days after the attack, I'm being forced to face Anna's council and hope they won't try to kill me on sight. I mean, of course I'm aware they'll probably strip me of my counselor title, since I'm not a noble, but maybe they won't object too much when Anna insists that I stay at the palace nonetheless. Not that they can do anything about it; she's the Queen. But if we're hoping to convince them to allow Northerners to come back to Arendelle, it's best if we don't fight with them too much.

Anyways. It's time, and I'm as ready as I'll ever be. My wounds are mostly healed, and my real hair is done up in a bun, so I appear more serious (the only good thing about all of this is that I don't have to wear that awful wig anymore). I'm wearing my best dress; the teal one with black sleeves, and of course I'm wearing my gloves (just in case).

I open the door and walk out of my room, taking a few deep breaths as I head to the meeting room, in an attempt to calm down my racing heart. As expected, it's useless, and by the time I reach my destination my stomach feels like it's full of vampire bats, instead of butterflies, and I'm lightheaded. Thankfully, Anna is waiting for me outside, and the bright smile she gives me is more than enough for me to get the courage I need to follow her inside the room, even if I notice some worry in her eyes.

The moment we enter, all eyes land on me. And this time, unlike the first time I met with the council, they're not just curious; they're cautious, untrusting and fearful. The General (who unfortunately is still technically part of the council), isn't even trying to hide his hateful gaze. This all almost makes me want to shrink in fear, but I quickly try to gain control by concentrating solely on Anna and imagine I'm alone with her. That is, until she sits down. I'm about to sit next to her, as always, when I realize that maybe that wouldn't be proper anymore. I'm not her counselor today; I'm an ice-wielder, waiting to be judged by her council, and I wouldn't want to disrespect anyone by sitting where I'm not supposed to.

Thankfully, Anna seems to notice my reluctance, and gently palms the chair, inviting me to sit to her right. I look at her, surprised that she doesn't care about what the others will think, but she just nods and keeps smiling. Not wanting to offend her, I obey and sit down.

"Good morning, gentlemen." She says, ignoring their glares in my direction. As she starts talking, I hope she remembers everything we planned for today's meeting, and that she doesn't get too nervous. Thankfully, her resolve to keep me alive, and at her side, seems to have given her the focus and courage she needs to get through this. "As you may know because of the unfortunate event that occured the other day, Elsa in fact isn't a noble from Corona, but an ice-wielder from the Northern Lands. Today, we will address your concerns the best we can, and then I'll proceed to announce what punishment General Haugen shall receive because of the scheme he pulled the other day."

She talks like a true Queen, with authority and power. However, I see this is just an act, and discreetly grab her hand under the table when I notice it's trembling. At this, she gives me a grateful smile.

"You want to punish me?" The General says angrily, a reaction I was expecting. "You should be thanking me for revealing her lies to the whole kingdom!"

"As I said, that will be discussed after we've clarified Elsa's situation." Anna reminds him as calmly as she can, but there's still quite a bit of anger in her voice. "First of all, you seem to have the idea that she lied to all of us in order to gain power, yes?" Most of them nod cautiously and look at Anna with curiosity.

"Well, she didn't." She starts explaining. "She's the Northerner I took in against your will, and eventually gave her a position as my counselor when she proved to have at least some level of experience in politics. She didn't like it at first, but agreed to keep her true identity a secret in order to help me."

"So you say." One of the councilmen retorts with a scowl. "How do we know you're not lying to keep her safe? She's obviously manipulated you into trusting her."

Anna is about to reply when yet another member of her council interrupts her.

"Yes, those Northerners are deceitful creatures. You have to send her back to her land before she kills us all!" I resist the urge to roll my eyes at his words. If I wanted to kill them, I could have done it on day one.

"No, they're not. Actually Elsa…" Before Anna can keep explaining to her dumb councilmen how incredibly close-minded they are, yet another one of them interrupts her.

"Yes your majesty, you must kill her immediately, before it's too late!" He exclaims, and soon enough almost every man in the room is demanding to have my head, but thankfully none of them is brave enough to try and kill me themselves. If anything, they're mostly scared of me. Which is funny, because I thought I would be more scared of them. Right now though, they aren't very scary; just annoying. More so, only five of them are being loud and obnoxious, and I recognize them as the ones who seemed to be closer to the General during the stunt he pulled the other day. The others just have concerned expressions, and are pleading their colleagues to let the Queen speak.

Anna, on the other hand, has been trying to calm them down ever since they started yelling, but it's not very effective, and she's getting angrier by the second. I wish I could help her with this, but I'm afraid in this situation the best I can do is pretend I'm invisible and not make any sudden movements. Besides, I don't have any authority here. I'm not the Queen's counselor anymore; just the ice-wielder they want to be executed.

"Gentlemen, please." Anna says loudly, but they keep arguing and asking the Queen to either kill me or exile me. I'd be afraid if I didn't already know Anna would never listen to their stupid pleas. "Come on, I'm sure we can…"

"We should have destroyed them a long time ago!" The General yells above all, and soon other voices join his. Anna sighs and purses her lips, but still tries not to get too angry. Which is a good thing, because if she got angrier my poor hand would be crushed under her strong grip.

"I-I… I know if you just listened to me, you would…"

"What are we even waiting for? She's a menace. Every second that she's here the enemy is learning about us!" One of the unreasonable councilmen says. Fortunately, Aaron tries to calm him down.

"The Queen wants to talk, don't you have any respect for your Queen?" He yells, which effectively makes the other man shut up, as well as some others. As expected though, the General doesn't listen to him, which I have to say is pretty stupid, considering he's being punished by Anna pretty soon. But I guess he's so blinded by his hatred for Northerners that he doesn't care.

"The Queen is too blinded by the affection she has towards this creature." He pretty much spats, before turning to Anna. "You _have_ to get rid of her, your Majesty. She's dangerous!"

"I don't _have_ to do anything!" Anna yells (seemingly having had enough of their antics), getting up and glaring at her councilmen. They look at her with confused faces, and some even seem to be a little intimidated by her outburst. "I'm your Queen! Do I have to remind you how this works? _I_ make the decisions! You merely present ideas and suggestions, and _I_ decide what to do with them! And if I want to have a Northerner in my castle pretending to be my counselor, I can do so without having you yell at me like I'm a little girl who doesn't know what she's doing!"

They all stay silent after that, some looking sheepish and apologetic, probably realizing how disrespectful they were being, and a few obviously trying to suppress a glare. Like they think just that; that Anna is indeed just a child who doesn't know what she's doing. The General is obviously on the later group. But at least they all shut up and wait for Anna to speak. She seems to realize this, because she takes a deep breath to calm herself down (though the angry blush that appeared on her cheeks is still present) and compose her thoughts, before she continues, still standing; towering above us.

"I know most of you think I'm inexperienced, and need guidance at every step of the way. But my parents taught me many things; I was raised to be a Queen, and trained every day of my life for that same purpose." She pauses, looking at every face in the room before continuing. "My father taught me to be strict but kind with my subjects, to be firm and obey the law _always_ , no matter if I don't like it. And… I have failed him." She admits with a grimace.

I look at her, stunned. She's not serious, is she? Does she think taking me in was a mistake? A dishonor to the name of her father? My heart starts beating fast and hard against my ribcage, as I wait with anxious anticipation for her next words.

"But I only failed to follow the laws he imposed regarding Northerners. Laws he mainly made in a selfish act of revenge." She says, and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, my heart slowly getting back to its usual rhythm. "And I did so because my mother showed me kindness is a very important trait for a ruler. She said we Arendellians are born in the unforgiving northern climate, and this has made us cold and harsh. She said we need to learn the warm kindness people in the southern kingdoms posses, and I admit she was right." At this, she turns towards me and offers a gentle smile. "Yes, I disobeyed the law by showing kindness to a Northerner, something most would say is a suicidal act, but she's showed me nothing but kindness and love in return, and has proven to be a loyal and honest friend." I smile widely at her words, feeling a warm feeling extend through my whole body hearing her compliment me in such way in front of her council. I also feel a bit sheepish though, given all gazes are now on me, and most are raising eyebrows at the Queen's behavior, so obviously beyond mere compassion or friendship.

"Judging people for what they are, instead of _who_ they are is wrong." She continues. "Mainly because, in this case as well as many others, what Elsa is can't be changed. She can't just stop having magic; it's a part of her as much as my hand is part of me. So please, I'm asking you to keep an open mind and try to judge Elsa for what she's done so far, and not for the color of her hair."

She looks around once she's finished talking, searching for even the smallest hint of defiance from her council, and putting up a determined face, like she's willing to beat some sense into each and every one of them if necessary. At the end though, it seems she's satisfied with what she sees, because she smiles triumphantly and sits down.

I resist the urge to chuckle at the men's stunned faces. Anna is more and more comfortable every day with her role as queen, and it shows on the way she speaks. I can't say I'm not proud myself, given I played a part in such an improvement.

"Now…" She continues with a smirk. "If you've stopped acting like a bunch of unreasonable brutes, I'll be more than happy to address your concerns."

At first, no one dares saying anything, probably fearing Anna might scold them if their words sound offending in any way. At the end, Lord Aaron clears his throat to catch her attention before he starts speaking.

"Your Majesty, I don't mean any offense towards you, or the ice-wielder. However, you have to admit that it looks suspicious that a Northerner girl appeared here in Arendelle claiming she had no memories, only for her to then win you favor in no more than a few weeks and become your counselor. We worry she might have manipulated you into making such decisions." Anna purses her lips, and he rushes to add. "And I'd say this of anyone who appeared in such circumstances. It has nothing to do with her being an ice-wielder."

I have to admit that's a good point; it does sound suspicious. Worse even, we have no way of proving I'm not manipulating her, and I'm afraid my word won't be enough. Anna sighs, probably thinking the same thing.

"I understand why it looks bad, and I'm sorry I can't give you a solid answer, but I trust Elsa with my life. I know she's not a bad person, as everything she's suggested to me thus far has been for the benefit to the kingdom. Yes, she might have a bias towards supporting the Northerners, but I doubt she would ever betray me."

"But how can we be sure?" Aaron presses, and Anna frowns, thinking for a moment before answering the best she can.

"If she wanted to kill me and take control over Arendelle, she would have already done it." She shrugs. "Besides, showing up in Arendelle and getting arrested in the first town she came across wasn't a great plan if she wanted to invade us; it was far more likely to end in her execution by the end of the day." I smile when I hear her say this. I told her that just the other day when we were practicing how she'd answer. She's doing well. "As I said, I have no solid answer, so this will have to suffice for now."

"Alright." Aaron sighs, obviously not satisfied, before turning to look at me with a steel gaze. "I'll be watching you. I hope you don't disappoint our Queen." I gulp, but try not to show fear.

"I won't." A assure him, and he nods in acknowledgement, but as usual I can't tell if he believes me or not.

"Well? Are there any more questions?" Anna asks. The lords fidget a bit before one of them is finally bold enough to speak.

"If I may, your Majesty." He starts, and I'm surprised to realize I haven't heard his voice much, and it's unmistakable… almost like a serpent's hiss. He's scrawny and wears modest clothes, and seems to be a bit over fifty years old. I think he was with the group that wasn't demanding to have me killed just minutes ago.

"Yes, Lord Sigvar?" She prompts.

"As the one assigned to look after our relationships with other kingdoms, I have to ask what consequences there could be for having a Northerner amongst us in regards of our already delicate relation with the Northern Lands."

"Well, what's your opinion? You're the expert."

"That depends on what was her position over there, regarding the so called Ice Queen." He starts. "If she was an ally to the Ice Queen, we might be able to form an alliance of some kind with the Northerners, either by having her become a part of our government or by threatening to kill her if they don't do our wish." I suppress a shudder. The way he said that sounded rather evil. "However, if she's a criminal or a rebel, we could risk a war if they suspect she's hiding in our kingdom and they try to get her back."

"I see…" Anna trails off, obviously thinking about an answer. "But as you already know, she doesn't have many memories. However, we do know she might have had some sort of governing position over there, though we aren't sure if she was the Queen herself, a counselor, or something else."

"It has to be our priority to discover it as soon as possible then." He concludes, looking at me in a way that gives me chills. I decide I like him even less than the loud councilmen that want to kill me, mainly because I don't know what to expect from him.

"Anyone else?" Anna asks, looking around, and this time a councilman speaks almost immediately. He looks older than most, and he was with the ones supporting the General.

"I must ask, my Queen, what do you plan to do with her? I bet you're aware that her position as a peasant doesn't allow her to be your counselor. Will she be staying here as your guest? And, if so, for how long?"

"She will be staying here as long as she wishes." Anna answers, as I was hoping she would. "And though I'm aware, Sir Barius, that she can't be my counselor according to the law, she'll maintain her current position." I look at her with surprise, since this is _not_ what we had planned, and all councilmen appear to be about to protest, however, Anna rushes to explain herself. "She will be my counselor in everything but title. I need her, and she needs to gain more experience in ruling a kingdom in case she becomes Queen someday."

Upon hearing those words, I turn to look at her with wide eyes, and my jaw just plain falls to the ground. That was not planned at all! What is she thinking?! I mean, I guess it's best if we get all of our secrets out in the open right now, but I'm really _not_ ready for this. I'm starting to panic so much that my gloves freeze from the inside and my stomach twists, more so when the councilmen start murmuring between them, as confused and stunned as I am. But then Anna raises her voice and tries to explain herself and calm down everyone. Including me apparently, because she takes my hand in hers and grips it tightly.

"Please, let me explain." She says. "What I meant is that Elsa and I are courting, thinking about a possible marriage in the future. It would greatly help us to make peace with the Northern Lands even if Elsa turned out not the Ice Queen herself, but just a noble over there."

"Your Majesty." The old man that spoke before says, coughing awkwardly. "We all know you've always been rather… _open-minded_ when it comes to selecting a partner, given you have expressed interest in both men and women." When she glares at him, he quickly continues. "And don't get me wrong, that's a good trait for a Queen to have! However, I don't think a Northerner should be allowed into the throne of Arendelle, no matter what position she held on the Northern Lands. If anything, because here she was born a peasant."

"She wasn't." Anna frowns, and then glances at me from the corner of her eyes. "Come on, Elsa, tell them."

"Huh?" I'm so surprised by her getting me actively involved in the discussion that I almost fall from my chair when I straighten up and try to calm down my racing heart in order to respond the best I can. I clear my throat before answering. "Yes, I-I was born to a wealthy family here in Arendelle, but I don't really know if my parents were nobles or just rich merchants."

"Really?" Sir Barius asks, quite clearly skeptical. "Do you, by chance, remember their names?"

"Not yet." I admit, hating the way he raises an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, but I just find your affirmation to be very weird and hard to believe, given we never heard of a noble having a girl named Elsa who was later exiled to the Northern Lands."

"They probably kept her hidden, and asked my father not to make a scandal when he found out and exiled her." Anna interferes, but she sounds nervous, like she does when she lies. Probably because she doesn't know if she's telling the truth. "I bet no noble would want their name to be associated with ice-wielders, especially after what happened to the Westergards."

Ah yes, the Westergards. She explained that to me the other day while we were planning this meeting. She said no one ever talked about it, and even the royal archives don't acknowledge said family much, but after digging a bit deeper, she discovered it was said family that murdered her grandfather, only for all of them to be executed the very next day. Well… almost. Only Henryk and his twelve older sons (who were all involved in the assassination, and were mostly ice-wielders) were sentenced to death. Just his third wife, whom he'd married only a couple of years before, and the youngest son, Hans, were forgiven and sent to the Northern lands.

Yes, that's the same Hans I knew, and who wanted to kill the entire royal family. I can't say he didn't have good reasons. Though it still surprised me a bit. Not too much because, now that I think about it, Hans and Helen really look a lot like Anna, which makes sense given their mother was King Agdar's cousin. And his father was his third cousin once removed… I don't know if he and Helen have the same father though. I guess not, since she was born in the Northern Lands.

But anyways, the point is that the Westergards were once a respected family, and had important ties to the crown. But ever since most of them gained powers and ended up being either killed or exiled, theirs has become a disgraceful name, and talking about them tends to make people uncomfortable.

This made other noble families who had ice-wielders within them (which were a lot) hide their magical members (sometimes in dungeons) or turn them over to the king pretending they weren't their relatives, and asking discretion. So what Anna is saying is at the very least plausible.

"I see." The councilman purses his lips, and looks deep in thought for a moment, before speaking. "But even if she's a noble, both in Arendelle and the Northern Lands, I urge you to reconsider. The public won't like it. There could be a rebellion!"

"I understand, but this is _not_ up for discussion." Anna practically snarls at him. "Besides, we just started courting; nothing is decided yet, and we'll keep things discreet until we come to a decision. And when we do, I'll be sure to inform you."

"Very well, your Majesty." He sighs, obviously not liking Anna's decision, but not wanting to risk the Queen getting angry again. Anna smiles, satisfied, and turns to look at the rest of her council.

"Alright, are there any more questions? Any concerns you wish to express?" She waits for a moment, but no one says anything, and I bet that's because they don't have anything not-offensive to say, judging by the glares and mistrusting gazes they direct at me. Anna seems to notice, because she quickly speaks to deviate the attention. "Well, if that's all, I would like to discuss the punishment for the General."

At this, many start murmuring, and the General straightens and puts up a stoic face.

"Your actions from the other day were unacceptable." Anna starts, and I squeeze a little her hand in order to calm her down and help her remain composed during this conversation. Still, the anger she has towards the General shows in her voice. "Conspiring behind my back against my counselor, planning to expose her in front of the entire population of Arendelle's capital, using deceitful ways to accomplish said goals, and almost getting Elsa killed." She sighs before glaring at him with hatred. "I should condemn you to death."

"Your Majesty, please. I was just trying to protect you. I was doing my duty!" He explains, trying to stay calm, but obviously starting to panic.

"Fortunately…" Anna interrupts him, raising her hand. "My counselor convinced me to give you a chance, given how loyal your family has been to the crown for generations." At this, the General let's out a breath and is about to speak, probably to thank the Queen, but Anna keeps talking. "However, your actions won't go unpunished. You will be striped of your title as General, removed as a member of the council, and half of the lands the crown gave to your family shall be returned."

"But your Majesty…" He starts.

"Please, don't make me reconsider." Anna cuts him off. "Because I would really like to give the butcher some work." She says this with a smirk, probably enjoying seeing the General so frustrated and powerless. But I know she doesn't really mean it. She just doesn't have it in herself to sentence someone to death.

"But the Haugen family has been responsible for the security of the kingdom for generations! Who will be General now?" One of the councilmen objects.

"A young man named Frederick. He's from a family who has served in the army for many years, and from what I've heard, is the youngest man in over a century to earn the title of Lieutenant. He will also be given the lands I took from the General and rule over them as Lord."

"But he's only twenty five!" Another councilman protests. "What has he done to deserve such honor? You need someone more experienced, like General Haugen's oldest son."

"From what I remember in our conversations, I'd say he's experienced enough, and has some innovative ideas. He is also a bit more open-minded, and isn't bothered by the prospect of change." Anna argues. Honestly, I don't know this Frederick, but Kristoff says he's a good man, and based on what Anna told me, I'd say it's a good decision. More so considering Anna said she told him about my situation, and he said I should be given a chance. He'll be a welcome change.

"Actually…" Anna continues with a smirk. "Maybe I should change some more members of the council. I need fresh ideas… but oh well, I guess that's a conversation for another time." She was actually reluctant to say that when I told her, since she was afraid they'd get offended. However, I convinced her because I think it'll remind them their position, and the fact they're only there because the monarch wants them to be. I'm hoping it'll make them be more willing to listen to Anna and don't disagree with everything she says so much… which brings up the last point we need to address today.

"Now, there's something else I wanted to talk about before we conclude this session." Anna continues. "Have you come to a decision regarding sending an ambassador to the Northern Lands?"

The nobles look around nervously, obviously wanting to say they decided _not_ to send anyone, but fearing the Queen might start firing them if they didn't agree with her previous request. At the end, Aaron is the only one brave enough to speak.

"We _had_ , but given the new situation that has presented to us, I want to propose a different alternative." He says, looking intently at me.

"Please feel free to speak." Anna says with curiosity.

"We could send her." He answers, and everyone, including me, stare at him like he's crazy. They won't trust me with something like that, will they? "After all, she's one of them, and claims to be loyal to you, so they'd me more likely to listen to her, and she'll represent Arendelle's interests well enough. Of course, she'd have to be accompanied by at least four of the most experienced and trusted soldiers, in case she's attacked or… decides to betray us."

"I… can't say I like the idea." Anna says with a grimace, probably worried about my safety. "I mean, what if she came here escaping from the Ice Queen? We'd be sending her to her death!"

"That's why I said she should be escorted by some of the best soldiers." Aaron objects.

"I also think it's a good idea, your Majesty." Lord Sigvar speaks up. "It would not only open up an opportunity for us to negotiate with the Northern Lands, but also prove whether or not she can be trusted. And if she dies while serving in a diplomatic mission… well, that would mean the Ice Queen is hostile and must be dealt with at the earliest opportunity."

And so, the other councilmen start agreeing, though I suspect it's because they want to get rid of me and the other Northerners in just one strike. Not because they actually want peace between Arendelle and the Northern Lands. Still, I find myself agreeing it's a good idea. After all, I'm probably the most powerful ice-wielder alive, and my powers are still growing; I'm pretty sure I can defend myself. Plus, if I succeed, maybe we could start a peace treaty with the Northern Lands, and eventually get ice-wielders to re-incorporate to the kingdom, which would obviously be good for them. Not to mention, I'll probably be able to find out more about my past and maybe even re-encounter my old friends.

"I'll do it." I find myself saying, above all voices, and at this, all eyes turn to my direction, looking at me with surprise. Especially Anna, who probably thinks I'm crazy for agreeing with them. "I can serve as Arendelle's ambassador in the Northern Lands… if her Majesty agrees, of course." I add, turning to look at Anna, who quickly stutters out an answer.

"I-I… uh… I guess I'll have to think it through."

"Very well. Just know that, no matter what you decide, you have our support." Sir Barius says, and the rest nod in agreement.

"Alright." Anna sighs. "That's all for today. I'll see you soon to inform you of my decision."

As she finishes, speaking, she stands up and prepares to leave, however, before she can even take a step, the ex-General calls her.

"You will regret this." He says, his voice trembling from anger and hatred. I turn to look at him, and realize his face is red and his fists clenched. I prepare my magic in case he attempts to do something stupid. "The day will come when you'll need me, and you will regret removing me from your side!" He spats.

Anna turns to look at him and answers with a sad voice.

"I doubt it." And then, she leaves the room, with me following close behind.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi, I hope you liked this chapter, eventhough it didn't have much Elsanna. But I promise the next one will! Anyways, please leave a review and fav/follow if you haven't. Thanks for reading and see you in the next chapter :)**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23.**

"How long do you think it'll be till we arrive?" I ask Anna as I look out of the carriage's window.

"I'd guess at least six more hours." She grimaces. "It's midday, so I hope that means we'll arrive just in time for dinner."

I sigh. I don't want to have _six_ more hours to torment myself with thoughts about how this meeting will go. I've been wondering who is the Ice Queen ever since I woke up this morning, and worrying she might be as evil as they say, and perhaps even more powerful than me. I'm also concerned about remembering everything at once and not wanting to return, or the possibility of completely changing my personality… but no. That wouldn't happen. At least, that's what I've been trying to convince myself of.

Oh yes, we're on our way to the Northern Lands, not even a week after our meeting with the council. Anna insisted on tagging along, but thankfully she agreed to stay at Nordfkerk (the town closest to the Northern Lands) with four guards to protect her, while I go deal with the Ice Queen. I made her promise to go back to the capital immediately if something were to happen to me… but I somehow doubt she's going to keep her word.

Anyways, unsurprisingly, despite her insistence on coming on this trip, she's spent the majority of it sleeping. And I really can't blame her; riding for a ridiculous amount of time is extremely boring, and I'd probably follow her example if I could. But I can't. I'm too anxious to be able to abandon myself to the land of dreams.

"How are you doing?" Anna asks after a while, and I reluctantly turn to address her, even knowing she'll worry if she knows I'm worried.

"Fine." I try to lie, but she frowns and I know she doesn't believe me. "Okay… I'm a bit worried, but fear not; I can handle it."

"Wouldn't you feel better if you talked about it?" She asks, skeptical. "I mean, you've been acting pretty weird ever since I accepted your request to be the ambassador."

Damn! I thought she hadn't noticed. Well, I guess I'm not as good at concealing my emotions as I thought.

"It's nothing, really. I'm just nervous about going back to the place where I grew up but don't remember."

"I see…" She hums. "Have you recovered more memories recently?"

"No." I admit with defeat. "Just a couple of small fragments. One was of me playing in the snow with Helen and Olaf, and then another one having dinner with my… family." I hesitate saying that last word. After all, they raised me, but we weren't related by blood.

"You'll remember more once you set foot on the Northern Lands, you'll see." Anna says, optimistic as ever. I give her a small smile, just so she drops the subject, but I honestly still have some doubts regarding how much I'll remember when I get there.

"You sure you don't wanna talk? You still look worried." Anna insists, apparently unconvinced by my fake smile. She's getting good at reading me.

"I'd rather not." I grimace. "That'd only stress me more."

"Oh, that's okay. I know how to cheer you up!" She says before getting up shakily, trying not to fall because of the carriage's movement. I look at her, confused for a moment, until I see her approaching me with a very mischievous smile on her face. Oh god, I hope she isn't thinking what I think she is thinking.

"What are you…?" Before I can finish my question, Anna sits herself on my lap, her legs at either side of mine, and starts kissing me rather passionately. I try to resist her, telling myself that this is not the time or place to be doing this, but apparently my libido doesn't hear reason. I immediately find my arms wrapping tightly around Anna as I try to get as much contact as possible, and I respond to the kiss with as much passion as I can.

I don't know why, but this usually happens when I kiss Anna; I just forget about everything except her, and the taste of her delicious lips over mine. Might be because we just started our relationship, but I seriously doubt I will someday stop wanting more.

"Elsa." She moans my name into my mouth before sucking my lower lip and biting it slightly. I try to respond, but all that comes out of my mouth is a shaky moan of my own, intensified by the fact Anna's hands move from their previous spot on my shoulders to my chest, just slightly above my breasts.

"A-Anna…" I stutter, trying to communicate my desire to have her even closer, but I'm silenced by her pouring open-mouthed kisses all over my neck, making an explosion of heat run throughout my whole body, specially my nether region.

"You like this, don't you?" She says against my skin, wet with her saliva. I can just nod in response when she kisses my neck yet again. "You feel so hot. I mean, compared to your normal temperature."

"Please…" I can only say, wanting her to touch me more, to _kiss_ me more. I want her to make me hers, and I want to make her mine… though maybe not right now.

However, it seems like Anna has other ideas, and doesn't have a problem with the fact we're in a carriage, and that there are like ten guards right outside. No, she just grabs my right breast and starts fondling it as she kisses my mouth once again. I'm so overwhelmed by the intense pleasure I feel at her actions, that I can't even think about stopping her, and all that there is in my mind is the desire to take Anna on the spot; to let the heat I feel emanating from our bodies merge and intensify until we are one.

However, just when I feel her reaching for my dress' buttons, the carriage shakes very strongly, making her almost fall off from me. It felt like we hit something, which wouldn't be so strange by itself, except that we suddenly stopped.

Anna and I separate, and she gets up from my lap, looking at me with an apologetic expression.

"Give me a second." She says before opening the carriage's door and stepping outside. I decide to follow her, just in case something dangerous is happening outside. But as soon as I get out, I think everything seems normal… I mean, there is snow falling from the sky, in _summer_ , but we're already at the mountains, very near the Northern Lands, so I would say that's not incredibly strange.

"Captain?" She calls the soldier of highest rank here, who is next to her in an instant, wearing a worried expression on his face. I don't like this. I don't like this at all. "What happened? Why aren't we moving?"

"Your Majesty, I'm sorry for not informing you of this before; I didn't want to worry you, but… it's snowing." He says all of it very quickly, and he looks agitated.

"Yeah, I can see that." She deadpans.

"No, you don't understand. It's not natural! I suspect Northerners have been following us for a while. And now the carriage won't move!" He points to the thing in question, and just as he says, it doesn't move, even when the horses keep pulling it and the men try pushing it from behind.

"Okay… _that_ is suspicious." Anna agrees, looking intently at the carriage, only to discover the wheels are frozen to the ground. "And there have been reports of bandits, apparently Northerners, attacking around this area." She sighs. "This can't be good. Elsa, can you…?"

Before she can even finish the question, a very strong wind blows in our direction, carrying lots of snow and making it difficult to see, more so because we have to cover our eyes in order to shield them from the sudden snowstorm and try to identify our attackers.

I still try to unfreeze our carriage though, thinking maybe then we'll be able to somehow escape, but it just keeps freezing all over again. I quickly realize it wouldn't be of use anyways because the horses are too scared and the guards have stopped pushing it and instead are now holding their weapons, forming a protective barrier around Anna. Of course, only Kristoff is protecting _me_. Not that it matters anyways; I'm powerful enough to defeat any ice-wielder.

We're now all waiting tensely for something to happen, our fear intensified by the silence of the wintry forest, only disturbed by the blowing wind. Not even the animals are making any sounds. It's like everything is just waiting. My heart starts racing and my body tenses in anticipation, and I use my fear to fuel the magic that's now at the tips of my fingers. I know using fear can be dangerous sometimes, since it reacts uncontrollably, but I can't possibly summon any other emotion right now, so it'll have to do.

Suddenly, I hear steps of someone getting near us, but thanks to the storm I can't really distinguish where they're coming from. More so, it sounds like they are from various people, probably ten or more.

Before I can even start planning a strategy, maybe to surprise them with some magic, seven men dressed with heavy clothes and wielding rusty swords and hammers come out from behind the trees and start attacking us. For a moment I'm too surprised to do anything, but then I recover and try to evaluate the situation so I can interfere adequately.

There are more soldiers than bandits, that's for sure, and the soldiers are much better at fighting than them, so we should be fine… but wait, none of the bandits appear to be ice-wielders, and though they're not casting magic, the soldiers' swords keep freezing and icicles are appearing on the ground, preventing us from moving much. But I can't distinguish where this magic comes from, though I feel like it's my duty to deal with the Northerner, since I have powers of my own.

"Oh no, don't even think about it!" Kristoff yells at me as he keeps fighting with one of the bandits. Apparently he figured out I'm thinking about going to fight the ice-wielder myself. "It's my duty to protect you! I can't let you…"

Before he can finish talking, I release a powerful blast of magic and send his enemy flying till he hits a tree and falls unconscious. I'd do the same with the other bandits, but I'm afraid the Northerner will run off if he sensed all his comrades are falling like flies, and I really want to capture him, and see what he has to say.

"Okay then." I tell Kristoff so he turns to look at me with wide (and slightly scared) eyes. "If you want to protect me, help me catch the ice-wielder." He purses his lips at my words, and turns to look at the other soldiers, who are still fighting off the attackers, with Anna standing in the center of them, looking both angry and terrified. For a second, I also consider going to help them, but I realize they are ten highly trained soldiers fighting against a bunch of brutes. "I think they will be fine." I reassure Kristoff. "Come on."

And with that, I disappear into the forest, and smile in relief when I hear my guard's heavy steps behind me. For a moment I thought he would stay and fight with the others.

"So what's the plan?" He asks when he sees me hiding between a bunch of bushes and rushes to do the same. "Can you sense his magic or…?"

"No." I shake my head, furrowing my eyebrows as I try to concentrate on making a plan. Fortunately, the falling snow gives me an idea, after all, how can he attack us from a distance without seeing us? "But I can use my powers to locate him." I inform Kristoff, smiling at my clever solution.

I immediately put it to practice, producing a bunch of tiny snowflakes and sending them flying in the surrounding area. I can sense the position and trajectory of every one of them, though I can only concentrate on a few at a time, and soon, I feel them colliding with an object that's not either a tree, nor at animal. A person.

"There." I tell Kristoff, pointing to a spot to the left, about twenty feet away from us. "He's hiding behind that tree."

"Alright. I'll capture him, you stay here." He orders me before taking his crossbow, which he'd apparently loaded while I searched for the Northerner, and standing up to shoot in the general direction of the ice-wielder. And effectively, the man in question gets scared now that he's been discovered and tries to run off to hide somewhere else. Kristoff reloads his weapon and shoots again, but misses. Then he goes to load his crossbow again, but the ice wielder is fast, and he's getting away. There's no time for that!

Ignoring his protests, I get up and run to catch him myself. Once I'm close enough, I start shooting blasts of ice at his feet to slow him down, which surprised him to the point he ends up falling and looking back at me with wide eyes. I suppress a smirk; this isn't over yet, I have to immobilize him before he escapes or attacks me, and I shouldn't feel overly confident.

Sure enough, once he recovers from the initial surprise, he shoots ice at me as well, but I easily block it with a shield of ice. Then I make ice chains appear on his feet and hands and chain him to the ground. Unable to move, he still tries to cast magic and free himself, but I made sure to make the ice as hard as possible, so he can't, but he still keeps trying.

"Elsa!" I hear Kristoff say as he arrives to my side, sword in hand. "Don't do that again, you hear me? That was too dangerous!"

"I caught him, didn't I?" I retort, upset he's scolding me for doing something good.

"Wh-who are you? You traitor! Why are you helping a royal guard?" He looks at me with hatred, but also fear, no doubt because I defeated him so easily. Only now do I take the time to notice his features, and realize he's about forty years old, has light blond hair and a slightly disheveled beard, and is wearing heavy clothes, despite not needing them. He looks very much like the other bandits. Except he has magic.

"I'm not a traitor." I answer, trying to remain calm in hopes he'll calm down too and stop struggling. "I'm loyal to Queen Anna of Arendelle. What about you? Are you one of the Ice Queen's men?"

"I have no queen." He spats. "When people were trying to crown a young girl as Queen just because she was good at magic, I came back to Arendelle. But I'm never going to accept any member of the royal family as my ruler. They ruined my life!" By the way he speaks so angrily about the subject, I can sense he's very passionate about it, so I decide not to argue with him, and instead I turn to Kristoff.

"Should we take him back?" I ask.

"I guess that'd be the best course of action." He agrees. "Hopefully the prison in Nordfkerk will be large enough for them… and will have ice-proof shackles." He adds, looking nervously at the Northerner's hands.

"Oh! That's right." I nod, remembering the shape and thickness of the things that were able to contain my powers. That shouldn't be too hard to replicate. And sure enough, the shackles that were binding him before, turn into ice-made ice-proof shackles, which is kind of ironic, but hopefully will work. "There. Let's go back with the others."

* * *

When we arrive, Anna almost kills me. Literally, she was about to choke me without even letting me explain myself, but thankfully Kristoff prevented it and told Anna what had happened. As I expected, without the interference of the Northerner, Anna's soldiers were able to deal with the bandits rather quickly, and had now chained some of them and killed others. I can't say the smell of blood and the sight of the bodies didn't make me want to puke, even if I know I have seen scenes a lot more grotesques. But I refrain myself, and concentrate on what Anna is saying; she decided to ask the Northerner a few questions before we keep going.

"Okay, so… Henrik. That's what you said your name was, right? What can you tell us about the Ice Queen?" She starts her interrogation, the man in question kneeling in front of her and being held back by two guards.

"Why would I tell you anything? You're going to kill me anyways." He answers angrily, and yeah, I can't blame him. Arendellians do have a tendency of wanting to kill Northerners on sight.

"I won't." Anna promises. "You'll have a fair trial once we go back to Arendelle, and probably will end up spending a few years in prison. But I could lower your sentence if you cooperate with us now and answer our questions." He hesitates, looking at me for a moment, and then at Anna, probably considering his options and asking himself how likely is of the Queen to keep her word to a criminal. At the end, he sighs and answers with a bitter tone.

"I guess I don't lose anything for answering a few questions." He shrugs, and I see Anna smile at his words. "Anyways, I don't know much about this Ice Queen everyone keeps talking about; just what I was told. They said she was a powerful woman, capable of wiping out an entire army without breaking a sweat… and yet she didn't do anything to get rid of the Arendellian soldiers for _years_. Why? I never knew, but one day a few members of a rebel group came to our little village, which was one of the smallest ones of the Northern Lands, and said they had a plan, and they would free us in three days."

I listen intently, wondering if this rebel group is the one which Hans introduced me to. And if so, and their plan succeeded, why they didn't attack Arendelle?

"Of course I didn't believe them, but they kept their word." He continues. "Three days after their arrival, a great snowstorm invaded the entirety of the Northern Lands, and they started attacking the soldiers. Granted, since I lived in a small town, there were only like five soldiers, so it wasn't that hard for the rebels to deal with them, especially since the storm distracted them."

"People started saying that the ice-wielder woman we'd all heard about was the one who caused the storm and wiped out most of the Arendellian army, and that she would be crowned Queen of the Northern Lands." He makes a pause, looking intently at me in a way I can't quite decipher. "I started getting exited, thinking that maybe now we'd be able to get some peace and order there; that maybe she would attack Arendelle and get back what was rightfully ours, but…" He chuckles bitterly. "When she finally went to visit out village, she was a child! A sixteen year old girl that looked terrified and like she didn't know what she was doing. And I thought: That's our new Queen? She doesn't have any experience! She probably can't even control her own magic very well! There's no way people will accept her."

At his words, Anna tenses, no wonder thinking back at her own situation. Getting crowned at eighteen and being treated as a child by her own subjects. I bet she's actually feeling empathic for this Ice Queen. I know I am. It couldn't have been easy.

"And yet…" He goes on, ranting about the ruler of the Northern Lands. "With a few fancy words and magic tricks she had everyone eating from her palm in a few seconds. What a bunch of idiots! I knew I wasn't going to stay and wait for her to ruin my life any more, that's for sure! So I escaped, came back to Arendelle, concealed my identity and started working as an ice harvester."

"Ice harvester? Didn't seem like you were harvesting ice back there." I say rather coldly, upset by the way he was talking about the Ice Queen, for some reason.

"I wasn't." He says, unfazed by my attitude. "I joined the bandits when they found out my identity and threatened to turn me over to the authorities if I didn't help them. I've been with them about a year."

"You really want us to believe that?" I practically spat, still very mad at him for what he said. My powers respond by making it start snowing lightly.

"Okay." Anna interferes, shooting me a look that clearly says 'calm down'. I just sigh and cross my arms over my chest so I don't end up freezing the ice-wielder. "Can you tell us what the Ice Queen looks like?"

"Well… I suppose she's grown up now, must be twenty one or twenty two years old." He answers. "She has platinum blonde hair, which she had combed into a bun when I saw her, and she wears a crown made of ice. She also has blue eyes, thin complexion, and very pale skin. Even back then, she _was_ very beautiful. Maybe that's one of the reasons they chose her." He pauses, and turns to look at me once more, in that same weird way he did before. "Actually… you friend here looks a lot like her, just with a different hairstyle."

Upon hearing his words, my heart skips a beat and my stomach does a little twist. He just fueled my suspicions and incremented them tenfold. There's little to no doubt now. I'm the Ice Queen. But… if that's true, what am I doing here? Why is there a storm in the Northern Lands? Did something happen and I left to seek help? That sounds risky, so I don't think I would come up with such a plan. Ugh! I wished I could just get my memories back! I have a feeling that it's extremely important I do get them back before arriving to the Northern Lands.

Maybe if I try to remember what this man just told us I'll be able to recall some more? I mean, I think not too long ago in one of my dreams I fought against Arendelle's army, intending to get rid of every soldier in the Northern Lands. Yeah! I remember more now. I remember… how did it all started, again? I-I I think I was… I think I was helping Bulda make dinner, and then… Helen. She arrived and told me the guards had captured Hans and were going to kill him. Yes! I remember now!

* * *

" _Elsa! Elsa!" I hear Helen's panicked voice before I see her enter the cabin in a hurry. I was chopping some roots Bulda sometimes uses to make some kind of soup (they taste horrible, but at least they fill our stomachs), but I drop everything instantly once I realize how agitated she looks, and quickly run towards her, trying to see if she's hurt._

" _Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" I ask hurriedly._

" _No. Elsa, it's Hans!" She exclaims, looking very worried and out of breath, like she ran all the way here to inform me. "Please, you have to help him! Please, you're the only one who can do it!" She says, now on the verge of tears._

" _Okay, calm down. Tell me what happened." I command, trying to keep calm, even if her nervous state is making it difficult for me._

" _H-he…" She swallows, obviously trying to prevent herself from crying. "He attacked a guard who was hitting a child for using magic." I feel my blood run cold at this. Attacking a guard is a serious offense. "Please Elsa, you can't let them kill him!"_

 _I feel myself being torn about what I will do. On one hand, I wouldn't want anything to happen to Hans, since he's my friend (even if he's been distant ever since I refused to join his resistance group)_ and _Helen's only family. And she surely wouldn't forgive me if I didn't help him. On the other hand… I promised myself I wouldn't kill anyone ever again, and I doubt there's a way to save Hans without killing the soldiers, since my powers are still very unpredictable._

" _Helen." I sigh. "You_ do _realize what you're asking of me… right?"_

" _I know." She looks down, appearing sad and regretful. "B-but… Hans is my brother! Practically yours too! Please, you don't have to kill them, just… help him, please."_

 _I look down to my hands, refusing to use my powers, but ultimately knowing I can't really just ignore Helen's request. I'd hate to see her heartbroken if Hans gets murdered. It doesn't matter if I have to sacrifice my own soul; I'd do anything to see her happy._

" _Where is he?" I ask, already hating myself for this._

" _The whipping pole. We need to hurry!" She takes my hand and quickly leads me outside and across the town to where said pole stands, but I stop her before we arrive. She looks at me confused for a moment, and I rush to tell her what I want to say._

" _Go back home. I don't want you to see this." Fortunately, she seems to understand immediately what I mean, and doesn't protest, instead kissing my cheek and wishing me luck before going back to our cabin. In other circumstances, I'd probably be too flustered to function, but right now I'm entirely concentrated on what I'm about to do._

 _My breath quickens, my heart beats so hard against my chest I think it's actively trying to get out, and my magic starts escaping from my flesh, making everything around me significantly colder. I'm scared, but not for my life, or Hans' life, for that matter. I'm scared that I'll have to kill more people than ever before; that I'll accidentally kill someone who is not a soldier. And I'm angry that I'm being forced to do this. I'll have to use these emotions to fuel my magic, though I know they aren't ideal._

 _I arrive to the whipping pole and, effectively, see Hans tied to it, the guards loading their crossbows in order to execute him. He looks angrier at them than scared, but by the way his chest moves up and down when he breathes, I realize he's probably just trying to conceal how afraid he truly is. After all, he doesn't have powers; he can't possibly get himself out of this without help._

 _Then, his gaze turns to the crowd that has gathered to see what's happening. There aren't many people; most prefer not to witness executions, but today at least twenty have stayed to bear witness, which is a conservable number. I guess they heard what happened with the child who was using magic and came to help… only to see Hans had already been captured. Suddenly, his eyes lock in mine, and they instantly turn hopeful. He actually manages a little smile, before mouthing two words: 'help me?'._

 _Honestly, I want to slap him more than I want to help him, but I still end up getting off my gloves and blasting his chains away. Then, hell starts. My powers form a huge storm without me really intending it, and the soldiers start trying to kill me. But I'm too powerful; they are like flies to me. It doesn't take too much effort for me to murder them. Actually, I'm not even trying. I was trying to chain them, or disarm them, but… yeah, fear and anger aren't the best emotions to do magic._

 _Then, something I wasn't expecting happen; everyone around me… No. Everyone in the_ town _get out improvised weapons, or take those of the fallen soldiers and start fighting at my side. The ice-wielders do the same, but they just use their powers._

 _The soldiers then start being much more merciless and brutal, murdering everyone in sight, including women and children, even if they aren't actively trying to fight. Ice and blood mingle everywhere. Steel cuts through flesh and ice pierces the soldiers' hearts._

 _I didn't want this. I didn't mean to start a war. I don't want to kill anyone, and yet… I have no option but to defend myself, and to defend the other Northerners. My superior powers don't have any problem killing every single Arendellian soldier in sight, and a part of me thinks they deserve it, but I don't take any pleasure in this._

 _I wished it didn't have to come to this. But apparently Hans was right; Arendelle just won't leave us alone unless we send a clearer and much more brutal message. They have been sending more soldiers here lately, and their rules and punishments are stricter, so I guess it i_ s _in our best interest to liberate ourselves from their tyranny. Not that I'm doing this massacre for that purpose, but the revolution has started and, if I can't stop it with words, I may as well do it with ice._

 _I know we're all in danger until the last soldier falls._

* * *

 _It's already dark outside once the battle ends, which means it lasted a couple of hours. But this isn't over yet. I have to use what little energy I still have to make sure Arendelle won't take possession of the Northern Lands ever again. And so, feeling as yet another significant part of my magic leaves my body, I let it form a protective barrier. The ice encases the stone, forming large icicles to keep anyone from crossing the wall. My magic extends throughout the whole frontier and, in only a few minutes, it's done. We won't have to worry about an invasion._

 _I sigh, closing my eyes and resting my forehead against the wall. I'm so tired. Physically and emotionally. My whole body is trembling. My skin feels gross and sticky from sweat and blood. The stench is horrid. I just want to take a warm bath for once, get a good night of sleep and forget what just happened._

 _I shouldn't have killed those men. There was no need. I didn't want to. My magic is just more and more unpredictable every day. And when those people stepped in, I had to defend them. I had no choice. Yet… I know I won't ever forget the terrified faces of the soldiers I killed, their screams, and how easily my powers took them down. Or how exhilarating it was at the moment. These memories will surely haunt my dreams for the rest of my life._

 _Finally, I open my eyes and turn around, ready to head back home… and find the whole town staring at me in awe, and silent reverence. They have a look in their eyes that makes me feel awkward; a look I also find in the green eyes of Hans, who is just a few steps away from me._

" _My Queen." He says, before kneeling on the ground. Then, everyone else, one by one, start gradually doing the same._

 _It takes me a couple of seconds to realize what is happening, but when I do, it terrifies me. They saw my incredible displays of magic, witnessed me destroying Arendelle's forces in just a few hours, and reinforce the entire wall with a thick layer of ice in less than that. And because of that, now they want me to be their Queen._

 _But I'm sixteen! I can't handle this! There are tons of people more appropriate for the job! I can't. I just can't. And I won't. I won't ever be their Queen!_

 _And so, I push past Hans and the rest of the crowd. I run away, even if I'm exhausted. I run, going nowhere in particular. Just far away from here._

* * *

 **A/N: Hi, everyone! Happy Valentine's day (I mean honetly, what better way to spend Valentine's day than reading/writing Elsanna fanfiction, right? XD). Anyways, thanks for reading, and if you liked this chapter, please leave a review, it may encourage me to get faster updates (sorry about the delay, btw).**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13 :)**


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24.**

 _I'm bathing on a hot spring, trying to get rid of all the dirt and blood marring my skin, yet somehow I feel filthier and filthier the longer I keep scrubbing. It's still dark out here, which means probably not more than a couple of hours have passed since the revolution ended. Or should I say massacre? I killed all those soldiers practically single-handedly, and how many there were? A couple hundred? More, even?_

 _I try telling myself I didn't mean to do it. That my powers are unpredictable, and it simply was an unfortunate accident, but… well, that's highly debatable. While, yes, I never consciously thought about killing anyone, my magic sometimes seem to respond to my darker, hidden desires; things I would never admit I have contemplated doing, and yet have appeared on my dreams, or even in seemingly random, sudden thoughts._

 _Maybe father was right. Maybe I am as dangerous as he feared. Maybe I would have ended up killing my entire family if I had stayed. Maybe I am a monster. Maybe all ice-wielders are._

 _A sob shakes me, and suddenly I'm crying violently, curled up on myself as if trying to get some sort of comfort. But what comfort can I get, really? They are dead! I killed them! I'm a monster! A sick, violent, savage monster!_

 _I double my scrubbing efforts, this time even using my nails, not caring at all that my skin is reddening to a point where it looks I'm actually tearing it apart. A few scratches appear on it, and blood comes out of them. But I don't care about that, and I don't care for the pain. I deserve it! I deserve it and so much more!_

 _My tears continue flowing, mixing with the hot water, and I keep bawling until my throat gets sore, and I start choking on my sobs._

 _The only thing that's able to snap me out of my crying is the sound of ice cracking._

Ice!

 _I look up, discovering I accidentally froze the hot spring, and quickly recoil in fear, half-expecting someone to come out from behind some rock and punish me for using magic. But after a few seconds looking around in tense silence, I realize how ridiculous that is. The soldiers are dead, and my parents, or any other Arendellian citizen, are all on the other side of the wall. For the first time in my life, I have nothing to hide. Nothing to fear._

 _As the realization sinks in, my sobs start to slow. Why should I be sad, or ashamed, after all? It wasn't me who ripped hundreds of people from their homes, tortured them and kept them oppressed for almost twenty years._ I _didn't kill defenseless people whose only crime was to have magic. I never denied anyone from using a part of them as vital as breathing._

 _No,_ they _did. And now they are either dead or far away from us. They can't harm us, and if I have any say on it, they will never even get to cross that wall again. They hate us? Good, we'll never have anything to do with them again! We'll build our_ own _nation, one without prejudice or hate; one where ice-wielders and normal people will live in peace and cooperate to build a better place._

 _Maybe Hans is a bit of an extremist, and so is his group, but… they chose me as their Queen. No._ Everyone _bowed to me, recognizing me as their legitimate ruler. I now have the power to make change a reality; to make my dreams come true. No one could ever stop me. I'm free!_

 _Invigorated by this feeling of freedom and hope I'm experiencing from the first time in my life, I get up from the spring and walk out of it, making an ice dress materialize over my previously naked body, completed with a cape. My hair, on the other hand, I let it fall free as I get out of the secret cave and start running up the mountain with sudden energy and euphoria, all the way shooting blasts of ice and making snowflakes appear out of thin air just because I_ can _._

 _Finally, when I get out of breath, I stop, only to realize the sun is already starting to rise and… I'm almost on top of the mountain, having made an ice path and stairs to facilitate my assent. But I'm still too excited by my newfound freedom and power to stop now! Fortunately, the breathtaking landscape gives me an idea._

 _Here, surrounded by tall mountains and overlooking the entirety of the Northern Lands, feeling the cold northern breeze hit my face gently, I can't help thinking this is the perfect spot for building a palace._

 _Sure, it's too far off from any village to be practical, but it gives us an advantageous point of view, in case of an invasion, and if it's large enough, it could even be seen from Arendelle, scaring them further and preventing them from attacking._

 _So, stomping hard on the ground, I make a giant snowflake appear, together with the rest of the palace's ground. And then I make the columns, lifting myself up to the first floor. Ideas keep swirling in my mind, making themselves a reality with just a flick of my fingers, and sooner than I would have thought to be possible, I'm standing in the middle of a magnificent room with icy blue walls, a balcony and a giant chandelier, which all do an amazing job reflecting the pink and yellow sunlight of the morning sun._

 _I imagine from the outside, it looks like a shining star, and I laugh happily, relishing on this rare moment of joy and freedom, and hoping it will never end._

* * *

"Elsa?" Anna calls me, startling me out of my memory and making me look up at her. We're on the carriage, still, and on our way to Nordfkerk, but I've been in my own world ever since we captured that Northerner. I'm not gonna lie, this sudden rush of memories is overwhelming, and Anna seems to have noticed, because she's staring at me with worry.

"Uh… yes?" I answer, trying to appear calm.

"We're here." She simply says, and I look out of the window to see that, effectively, we've stopped in front of a wooden two-floored building. I assume it's an inn of sorts, though it's rather small.

"Right." I nod, and I'm about to get up, when Anna's hand stops me.

"Wait, are you feeling okay? You're acting funny." I sigh at her words. Of course she noticed.

"I'm fine, just… let's get in and then I'll explain everything." I say, trying to sound reassuring.

"Alright." She nods, still a little unconvinced. "Come on."

We descend from the carriage, and I notice the streets and houses are covered in snow; probably a side effect of being so near to the Northern Lands. It's already dark, and the wind blows fiercely, making the soldiers escorting us shiver slightly. Thankfully, Anna and I are both immune to cold so, though do I feel a light tingling in my skin due to the low temperatures, it doesn't bother me at all.

Still, the inside of the inn, filled with warm light, the sound of various voices and even music, looks a lot more welcoming that the harsh winter of outside, so we quickly hurry to get in; first Anna, and then me, followed by Kristoff and another guard (the others are going to take the prisoners to the local prison first).

As soon as we set foot in the place, a burly man with a long, blonde beard, who was previously standing behind the counter, rushes to great us, making a courtesy to Anna almost immediately (which is actually quite comical, because he almost falls in the process).

"Your Majesty!" He exclaims as he straightens up, sporting a bright smile on his face. That's when I notice he's bald, but wears a woolen hat to cover his lack of hair, and his features are rather rough, but his red face and exaggerated manners makes you like him in an instant. "I was informed you would come to the town, but I never expected you to come to my little inn! If only I had known, I would have taken some more time to tidy it all up!"

I look around, letting Anna speak with him, as I take in my surroundings. Its' a rather small place, completely made of wood, except for the chimney and the stove, both of which are alit and provide the place with warmth and light. Apparently, the ground floor of the building is some kind of bar or restaurant, judging by the five or so people sitting on the tables and stool. I guess the rooms must be upstairs. At a corner, three musicians were playing their instruments in an upbeat tone; a lute, a violin and a cello, but I suppose they got tired, since they stopped… and are staring at me with wide eyes.

Come to think of it, now every person in here is looking in my direction, having fallen silent, and looking afraid and uncertain. Including the owner of the place.

"What is this Northerner doing here?!" He asks, his previous friendly and carefree demeanor completely gone, now being replaced by anger and weariness. I resist the urge to roll my eyes, and admit to myself he's a potential threat, so I put my guard up. To my right, I see Kristoff tense as well.

"She's with me." Anna explains, trying to remain calm, but her voice wavers slightly with insecurity. "She is the ambassador that will represent Arendelle's interests in the Northern Lands."

"I see." He nods, frowning as he keeps looking at me with hatred. For a second, it looks like he's about to protest, but he reminds himself that he's in front of the Queen, so he remains quiet for a moment before speaking again. "Your Majesty… look, the matters of state are none of my business, but I can't let a Northerner stay here, for the security and comfort of my other guests. I'm sure you understand."

"As a matter of fact, I don't." Anna clenches her fists, her jaw tense with barely contained anger. "Elsa won't harm anyone here, you have my word." He looks like he's about to protest again, but Anna quickly cuts him off before he can even open his mouth. "Is my word not enough?!" She says trough gritted teeth, and he actually takes a small step back.

"It is, your majesty, it is!" He quickly tries to placate her. "But you see, I don't have enough rooms for you, your soldiers _and_ the Northerner." The man explains, but I have no doubt in my mind that he's lying.

Stupid Arendellians. I'm getting sick of them and their prejudice against my kind. I mean, it's not like I had some sort of contagious disease! Surely I deserve to be given a room and dinner like everyone else, right? Honestly, thought I would never admit it out loud, my heart stings a little every time someone actively discriminates against me just because of my powers.

"Oh, that's no problem at all!" Anna says, suddenly sounding so happy that we all stare at her in surprise. "Elsa and I will share a room, right?" She looks briefly at me, but doesn't even wait for an answer before taking my hand and dragging me upstairs. "Please make sure my guards also get a proper room and dinner!" She adds once we're halfway up the stairs, then snatches a key from one of the inn's staff and disappears with me inside a room before anyone can say anything about it. Granted, considering she's the Queen, I doubt anyone would have tried to stop her anyways.

Still, I think that was rather risky. I mean, what if the owner is so mad that he kills me in my sleep? Or poisons the food? More so, what if the room she took the key of is occupied?

Thankfully, it isn't. The room in question only has a tiny bed with a couple of cushions and heavy blankets to fight off the cold, and an even tinier wardrobe (probably just enough to hold two sets of folded clothes) which doubles its function as a night table. Aside from that, there's a half-consumed candle and a closed window… and a chamber pot, since apparently there's no bathroom. Oh well, I can't really complain. At least it looks clean, aside from a couple of spider webs, and it smells like tobacco, which isn't my favorite smell, but I guess it's preferable than some others.

"Well… it could be worse." Anna says, as if reading my mind, before taking off her shoes and launching herself to the bed. "Uhm. At least it's comfy… kind of."

"You know? If you want to get me in bed with you, that sentence isn't helping your cause." I decide to tease her as I also take my shoes off and sit down at the edge of the bed.

"Oh, I don't need any silly _sentences_ to get you in bed with me." She answers with a mischievous smile, and before I can process what's happening, I feel her arms pull my waist until I'm laying down, and then in less than a second, Anna positions herself on top of me. "See?" She says, her face now so close I can feel her breath caressing my lips. I try to answer, maybe with a playful remark, but all that comes out from my throat is a squeal that's promptly silenced by Anna's lips.

I eagerly reciprocate the kiss, finding this new position to be quite arousing, especially with Anna's knee so close to my core. My skin is suddenly on fire, and a very pleasant sensation radiates from my lower parts. My hands don't hesitate to wrap themselves around Anna's waist and pull her closer to me, which she answers with an appreciative moan before moving her knee forward and pressing it against my groin.

Pleasure explodes right away, and I find myself moaning into Anna's mouth as well in the most embarrassing way. I can't bring myself to care, however, because soon she's unbuttoning my dress in order to access my neck, which she promptly starts kissing and biting. I close my eyes, enjoying the pleasure her actions give me, and wanting to lose myself in it. However, it seems like my mind has other ideas.

Just as it has happened every few minutes since our encounter with the Northerner, I start projecting into my head images from my newly recovered memories without even meaning to. It's like my brain is urging me to remember, to learn as much as I possibly can about myself before going to the Northern Lands. I try to fight it, and concentrate on Anna's actions, which are no doubt infinitely more pleasant, but as soon as I do that, I feel an empty pit on my stomach, and my hands start to feel clammy, like even my body is warning me not to ignore the memories.

Just as I start to debate with myself whether or not I should concentrate on trying to recover my memories, Anna pulls away and stares at me with worried eyes.

"You're not entirely here, are you?" She says. I consider lying for a moment, but deciding that would be unfair, I simply shake my head with a sigh. "Have you recovered more memories?"

"Yes." I answer hesitantly.

"Alright." She says, slightly disappointed, but trying to hide it behind a smile. Then, she gets up from the bed and moves to reach for the door. "I'll go get our luggage and ask for dinner to be brought up. When I come back, maybe we can talk about it over a hot meal?" I nod in answer and she smiles. "Great! I'll come back in a minute."

Before I can even process her words, she's out of the room, and her steps resonate down the wooden stair. I can only chuckle and shake my head in amusement at her energetic behavior. But as soon as my laughter starts, it ends. There's just too much going on inside my head! And to think I'll have to explain it to Anna… damn, I think I'm getting a headache. Must be because I've recovered too many memories in a short amount of time, and more are still fighting to surge!

For example, I remember having arrived to the main town on the Northern Lands about a day after building my Ice Palace. I decided to get back and be their Queen, convinced that no one else was better suited for the job, even if I was myself more than dubious about my skills as a ruler, having never been a leader to anyone. But at least I was smart, had read lots of books, and had compassion and care for both Northerners and Arendellians. But most importantly, I wanted peace.

When I arrived, Hans and his rebel companions greeted me with cheers and smiles, though I felt on my gut it was just a façade. Still, they helped me build an Ice Castle ten times smaller than the one I built on my own, where the coronation ceremony and the ensuing governing process would take place. They already had a priest, a crown and (I have no doubt) a ruler, and had invited the whole kingdom to witness this important event. Yet, when I showed up, they had no choice but to crown _me_ , the most powerful ice-wielder and elected Queen, rather than however was going to be my replacement.

I remember being quite nervous when the crown was placed over my head, and even more when I had to turn around, face my people and give a little speech I hadn't even fully prepared.

* * *

" _Uh… Alright." I say awkwardly as I stare at the hundreds of people who came all the way here to see me. All their eyes are fixed on me, some appearing curious and others doubtful. I bet they didn't expect their new Queen to be a sixteen-year-old girl. They probably expect me to fail. Oh God, what if I_ do _fail?! I mean I can't even make a proper speech without being paralyzed by the terror._

 _Okay, I need to calm down. Come on, relax. Take a deep breath and… don't look at them._

 _I fix my eyes to a pillar in the distance, breath, try not to pay attention to my racing heart and sweaty palms, and finally start my speech._

" _Fellow Northerners." I say loudly, thankful the way this courtyard is made facilitates my voice to be heard by everyone. "I'm sure you are all aware by now that I was the one who started the revolution… and also the one who ended it. You chose me as your Queen because of my great powers, but let me tell you, I will not rely on them during my reign." I pause, wanting to see the reactions to my words, but being too nervous about it to look at the crowd. "My mother once told me that power based on fear can't lead to anything good, and so I will just ask for your trust. Trust that I have your interests in mind and will do anything possible to turn the Northern Lands into a prosperous nation."_

" _I know you didn't expect me to be so young." I continue. "And I understand you have many concerns, but I will only ask you to give me an opportunity. If, in the future, you are not content with my decisions, come to me and express your concerns. Be assured: you will always be heard."_

 _Okay… that's over with. Now comes the easy part; planning._

" _My first act as Queen will be to appoint twelve representatives; one for each town of the Northern Lands. Their mission will be to observe and report to me at least once a month of any problems they notice. They will be elected by the inhabitants of each town, and will first tell me what their town can do to sustain itself. It could be anything; from fishing to mining or even selling ice. But it's important these activities are stablished as soon as possible." Here I make another pause, remembering what else I was supposed to say._

" _Now, remember we're not part of Arendelle anymore, and in my kingdom, people with magic and those without coexist. I expect the relationship between you to be friendly and free of prejudice, and will not tolerate any form of aggression between the two groups. Such acts will be punished as crimes." I know it's very unlikely that Northerners suddenly start attacking each other, but there could be resentment towards non-ice-wielders, and I had to say it just in case. "Of course, all of this will be codified in a set of laws that you'll have to follow, and I will inform you about them as soon as they're made. Meanwhile just be aware that stealing, murdering, raping or hurting someone in any way will be severely punished."_

" _I would also like to remind you…" I keep talking after a brief pause, to allow them to take in my words. "We are not under the oppression of Arendelle's soldiers anymore, which means ice-wielders are free to use their magic however they want, so long they don't hurt anyone. In fact, I encourage those with magic to help your communities in any way possible; maybe making ice-houses, or tools for farming, or anything you may need. Just remember that, if you haven't used your powers in a long time, you might need some practice, which I suggest you do in solitary to avoid hurting someone." I breath out, feeling my muscles relaxing already now that I'm about to finish. "Well, that's all I have to say for now. If you have questions or want to suggest something, you know where to find me."_

 _For a few agonizing seconds silence reigns within the courtyard, like they're still expecting something from me. I start fidgeting a bit, wondering what will happen now, until someone in the crowd finally shouts._

" _Do some magic!"_

 _And soon, everyone else is shouting the exact same thing, encouraging me to show them my power. I can't blame them; they have to make sure that I am the one they chose; that I'm just as powerful as they heard. And so, not wanting to disappoint them, I raise my hand and release a burst of magic, creating dozens of "fireworks" made of explosions of snow. To me it's an easy task, but for them is quite impressive, and they are all soon cheering and chanting my name._

" _Long live Queen Elsa! Our savior!" The voices say._

 _A small smile appears on my lips, and I start thinking that maybe, being Queen won't be as difficult as I thought. It's like I was born to do this._

* * *

"Elsa?" I hear Anna enter our room, stopping me from remembering further. But that's okay; I'm sure I've already remembered enough. And besides, the food smells delicious. "Dinner is ready." She says cheerfully, stepping into the room before going to sit next to me on the bed. Behind her, the owner of the inn enters, carrying two plates of hot stew. "I figured it would be best if we eat here, so no one will bother you." She explains.

"That's great, thank you." I answer as I sit up and take my bowl from the man, who only glares briefly at me before turning to Anna and giving her the stew with a gentle smile. I fight the urge to make a remark about his behavior; nothing I say will make him treat me any better.

"I hope you enjoy your meal, your Majesty." He says with a reverence before going to leave the room. Once the door closes, I turn to Anna.

"Do you think he poisoned it?" I ask, half-joking, referring to my meal.

"No, I don't think so." She answers, taking a spoonful into her mouth. "I doubt he's _that_ stupid."

"Do you think people like him will ever change their ideas about Northerners?" I sigh before taking the spoon into my mouth. Wow! This is actually pretty good! Though it has a little too much salt for my taste. But at least it's not too hot.

"I hope so." Anna says, but in her voice I can tell she seriously doubts it. Honestly, I can't blame her; I'm also quite pessimist about that. "Anyways, weren't you going to tell me about your memories?" She quickly changes the subject, which for once I appreciate.

"Oh, that's right!" I say. "Well, I guess the first thing you should now is… I'm the Ice Queen."

"Really?" Anna asks, her voice a mixture of excitement and caution. I nod, and proceed to tell her in detail all the events of my recent memories. I only stop to eat and when Anna asks me a question, but at the end, it's all clear, and she too is convinced I'm the Queen of the Northern Lands.

"Well? What do you think?" I ask when I finish. She hums in thought for a moment, frowning before responding.

"I think… that you were indeed the ruler of the Northern Lands, but something happened and you decided to go to Corona to ask for help, but when that didn't work, you came back to Arendelle and lost your memory." I nod; that's also what I thought. "It probably has something to do with that storm." She adds. "But I think we shouldn't worry about it right now, since you will probably know what really happened tomorrow. I bet there will even be a great celebration for your return!"

"We don't know that, Anna." I answer, cautiously, but also feeling better about my mission, since now I don't have to deal with any Ice Queen, but rather regain my title and ask what's going on. Then, I can sign a peace agreement with Anna and together we'll deal with whatever is happening over there.

"Even if someone else is in charge now, and isn't all that friendly to you, you are the most powerful ice-wielder ever seen, so it shouldn't be a problem for you to reclaim your throne." She shrugs. "There's only one thing that worries me though." Her gaze instantly turns serious and somber.

"What is it?" I ask, taking her hands between mine in a comforting gesture.

"That you…" She starts, but then pauses and sighs, avoiding my gaze as her expression turns sad. "Nothing, forget it."

"Anna, tell me." I demand. "Whatever it is, sharing it with me might help."

"But… it's silly, a-and… egotistical." She admits, pursing her lips.

"I promise I won't judge." I assure her, squeezing her hands for good measure, and smiling at her, even if her eyes are looking everywhere but me.

"Okay…" She says after a moment, still refusing to look me in the eyes. "I'm-afraid-you-will-recover-your-memory!" She bursts out rather quickly, and I have to take a few seconds to process her words. When I do, my eyebrows shot up to my hairline in surprise.

"Why?" I say, utterly confused. After all, all this time we've been trying to get back my memories.

"I told you it was silly!" Anna says, mortified. But thankfully, she then proceeds to explain herself. "I just… what if you remember everything, and suddenly you don't want to be with me anymore?"

"Why would I do that?" I ask, chuckling a bit. Honestly, I can't imagine ever wanting to leave Anna. I love her!

"I don't know." She pouts. "What if…?" She starts, but bites her lip. For a moment, I fear she might not continue, but thankfully she asks her question without the need to push her. "What if you had a significant other in the Northern Lands, and you suddenly remember you love them?" I fight the smile threatening to appear on my lips. Jealous Anna is very cute! But she seems genuinely distressed, so I rush to reassure her, pulling her into a hug.

"I can assure you, without a speck of doubt, that I have never loved anyone else as much as I do you." I say, putting as much honesty and emotion as I can into my words, so Anna won't keep doubting. "I did love someone: my best friend Helen, but I doubt my feelings were ever reciprocated. And even if they were, it doesn't matter, because now I have _you_. And you are the most amazing person I've ever known."

Anna doesn't answer immediately, but instead nuzzles into the crook of my neck, a smile forming in her lips as she sighs in content.

"You are a charmer, you know that?" She says, her lips tickling my neck in a delightful way and giving me goosebumps. "I bet you could have anyone you want just by saying a few words."

"I only want you." I say once more, knowing Anna probably still needs more reassurance, but is too proud to ask for it directly.

"Then let's make love."

I start to hum in agreement, until I realize what she just proposed to me, and separate from her just enough to look at her eyes, which are dilated with lust, but hold a hint of worry and possessiveness.

"Are you asking me that because you genuinely want us to make love? Or because you're too scared you'll never have the chance to do so after tomorrow?" I ask, seeing through her right away.

"Ugh! You know me so well!" She pouts.

"Relax, Anna." I say, pulling her closer to me. "I'd love to make love to you." I blush at my own words, never having expected to be so bold about such a subject. However, I recover quickly and continue talking before Anna gets some funny ideas. "But now it's not the right time. We're both tired, you are jealous and worried, and it wouldn't be for the right reasons. We should wait."

"But…" She starts protesting, but I silence her pressing a finger against her lips.

"Come on, let's get some sleep."

It takes some arguing, and me creating a changing screen with my powers so we won't see each other naked when we change into our nightgowns, but at the end, I convince Anna not to make love tonight. And not because I don't want to; the sole thought makes me ache with desire, as well as some rather lewd fantasies to appear on mind, but… we just started dating a few weeks ago, and making love is a very intimate thing that shouldn't be taken lightly, especially considering it's our first time. So no. No matter how much I want it, and how good Anna's body feels next to mine, we will wait.

Not for too long though, I hope.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry, no smut this time XD. But I hoped you liked this chapter anyways, and don't forget to review telling me your thoughts and predictions, because next chapter we're going to the Northern Lands! Do you think I'll take the fluffy, easy route, or the angsty, hard one? If you've read my other fics, you know the answer hahaha.**

 **Anyways, thanks for readin, see you next time :)**

 **And thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25.**

We have been riding for hours now, and there's still no sign of the wall anywhere nearby. Maybe because the forest is so dense we can't see anything through the trees' branches. At least there's a small road, so we can bring our horses; otherwise we would have had to walk, and let me tell you, I would _not_ want to do that.

It's a good thing this morning I realized I actually know how to ride a horse; or else I would have had to ride on the back of Sven, which would have made me smell like Kristoff, so no thank you. Sure, it was difficult at first because it probably has been months since I last rode a horse, but I picked it back up soon enough and now here I am: surrounded by eight guards and going to the Northern Lands. To my home. My _kingdom_.

I honestly still don't know how to feel about it. I mean, sure, I should feel reassured after remembering my coronation, knowing I'm the ruler of that place, and the most powerful ice-wielder alive, so what could possible go wrong? Plus, I'll get to see my family; Bulda, Olaf, Marshall, Hans and… _Helen_. Gosh, I know I told Anna she has nothing to worry about, and I really meant it when I said it, but… just thinking about her makes my heart skip a bit and my hands start to feel clammy. I'm nervous about seeing her again. I guess because it'll be weird, knowing she was the person I was in love with for so many years, and now… now I have someone else. I bet that'll change our relationship at least a little bit.

Just as I'm getting lost in my thoughts, remembering small disconnected fragments of my past, we exit the forest. Suddenly, all I see is white, and I have to close my eyes because of just how _blinding_ it all is. I shield my eyes from the sun and slowly get accustomed to the light, and eventually I realize now we're on a plain, extending about half a mile until it finally stops at the wall, still encased in ice and with big menacing icicles sprouting out of it. But… it's almost twice as large as I remember, and it's also covered in a thick layer of snow.

The wind picks up as soon as we leave the last of the trees behind, and I bet if I wasn't immune to cold, I'd be shivering alongside my guards. And they are wearing thick capes over their armor, while I simply have a thin ice dress I made myself, hoping it'll make it easier for the Northerners to recognize me.

"Damn storm!" Kristoff says, placing his reindeer next to my horse. "It's so cold even Sven is trembling, right buddy?" He pats the reindeer's back and Sven nods, oddly enough. "I hope the Ice Queen isn't as bad as they say she is, or this might get pretty ugly."

Oh, right. I forgot he doesn't know it yet, but… should I tell him? I guess that'd be the right thing to do, and he's been a lot friendlier as of lately. I still have my doubts regarding Kristoff, but I don't think he'd ever hurt me on purpose, so…

"Well, I don't know. Do you think I'm evil?" I say nonchalantly, trying not to be too serious about this subject.

"No, but what does that…?" He starts asking, but then his eyes widen, as if realizing what I just implied. "Wait… are you the Ice Queen? Did you remember?"

"Yes. Just yesterday." I answer.

"Huh. Well… then I think we don't have anything to worry about." He chuckles before smiling gently at me.

"I hope so." I say feeling optimistic, more so seeing how well Kristoff took it. He sure has changed a lot; not so long ago he would have freaked out after learning of my true identity. I guess Anna helped a little; I bet she's been rambling about me and how wonderful I am (her words) at every opportunity.

After that little conversation, we remain quiet until we arrive to the wall. It's not awkward though, because we're both naturally silent. Him even more so than me, I think.

The wall is more impressive up close, and I see that, effectively, its lower half is made of stone encased in ice, while its upper half is made completely of thick white ice, with a rough surface, unlike the icicles, which are blue and transparent. I wonder if I also made it taller… I only remember having encased it in ice.

"Halt. Who goes there?" A masculine voice coming from above the wall stops us in our tracks. I can't distinguish his exact features from all the way down here, but I can see he has red hair. Not an ice-wielder then.

I signal my guards to stay behind as I descend my horse. Then, I step forward and walk until I'm standing right under the wall's shadow, reading myself and remembering what I'm supposed to say.

"Greetings, fellow Northerner." I begin. "My name is Elsa, elected Queen of the Northern Lands, and Arendelle's ambassador. I wish to speak with whoever is in charge right now."

"You are Elsa?!" He exclaims, genuinely surprised. " _The_ Queen Elsa?!"

"The one and only." I smirk. But my smile disappears when he gulps and looks around, as if afraid someone might listen.

"But… they said you were dead!" He finally speaks, sounding both afraid and confused.

"… they?" I ask, but he just nods.

"You have to go before the Ice Queen sees you!"

"But _I_ am the Ice Queen… right?" I ask. I'm starting to have my doubts; after all, he seems to be very scared for me.

"No, of course not." He answers, confused. "Do you not remember?"

"Remember what?"

He opens the mouth to speak but before he can say a word, a cold wind blows from behind the wall, carrying with it a strong blizzard. It's sudden and violent. Like magic.

"She musts already know you're here!" He says, panicked. "Run, now!"

I take a small step back, debating between running away and staying to try and find out what's happening. However, just then the man I was talking to blows a horn, the clear sound resonating throughout the valley.

"Elsa, we have to go!" Kristoff yells.

"But…" I still protest, wondering what to do. I'm the strongest ice-wielder alive, surely I can deal with some usurper, right?

"Elsa!" He yells again, now sounding even more panicked, clearly looking at something behind me.

I turn around and see… ice moving. Almost like it's alive. At first it looks like some long crystals put together, but soon it gains form. It's a giant, taller than the wall even; the size of the tallest three. It kinda looks like a skeleton made of ice, but it has large spikes protuberating from its articulations, and horns on its head. Its eyes are hollow, but they emit a purple light.

I can just stare in shock at it as it rises from the snow and starts walking in my general direction. I'm paralyzed by fear. My limbs can't stop shaking, my breath comes out quickly and erratically, and my heart feels like it's inside my ears. I don't think I've ever felt like this before… or have I?

"Elsa!" I hear Kristoff's voice before I feel a hard shove on my right side and fall to the ground. In the spot where I previously was there's now a giant icicle… partially embedded in my guard's leg.

"Kristoff!" I call to him as I rush to his side, planning on getting the icicle out of his leg. He just moans in pain and grips a handful of snow as I get said object out of him. We don't have time to do anything else, however, as the other soldiers are now firing arrows at the ice monster, in a vain attempt to stop it.

The giant gets furious, even though the arrows don't seem to do any damage, and opens its mouth to release a burst of snow and icicles that wipe out the soldiers in an instant, leaving only pools of blood and corpses instead. I'm able to react just when it reaches us, fortunately, and shield both Kristoff and myself with a thick shield of ice.

The smell of blood is so intense I feel nauseous, and though I try not to think about their sudden deaths and all the ways I could have saved them, I still feel very guilty. But I know feeling guilty will take me nowhere. There's still someone here I can save.

"Can you walk?" I ask my guard.

"I-I think so." He answers, grimacing when he moves his leg. "Okay, I'll call Sven." He replies at my skeptic look.

"Alright. Go to the forest and hide there. I'll distract this thing." I say, already formulating a plan in my head.

"But I'm your guard! I'm supposed to…"

"You can't protect me in that state. Now go!" I reason before getting up and facing this monster. It's still as terrifying as a minute ago, but I try not be too intimidated by it, and instead think rationally. After all, whatever this creation is, the one who conjured it probably isn't nearly as powerful as me, meaning I should be able to defeat it without a problem.

At least… I hope so.

As expected, the Ice Skeleton doesn't follow Kristoff, and instead keeps its concentration solely on me. First it tries sending a burst of snow and icicles in my direction again, but just as last time, I raise my hand and stop them with a shield of ice. However, the strength surprises me this time, and I end up jumping to the side just as my shield explodes in a million pieces and the icicles bury themselves deep into the snowy ground.

That was close. Okay, calm down heart, stop racing. I just need to be more careful.

Before I have time to think on a strategy though, the giant swings its large arms in an attempt to hit me, and I drop to the ground to (barely) avoid them. Trying to get some space between myself and this beast, I raise my hands and conjure a large block of ice, which I throw at it to make it stumble backwards. Meanwhile, I get up and get ready to fight; turning my ice skirt into something more practical: pants.

A loud shriek resonates throughout the whole of the wall, and I have to cover my ears in hopes they won't burst just because of this horrible sound. It's like the scraping of metal, the roaring of a lion and the cry of a pig in the slaughterhouse, all at the same time.

I think my little attack angered it.

Sure enough, the monster is soon grabbing my block of ice and throwing it at me. I'm only able to avoid it by jumping to the side and casting magic at it, to deviate its trajectory away from me. The attacks are relentless however, and soon I'm running from icicles, giant feet and random bursts of magic without managing to get a second to breathe. My blood is pumping fast in my veins, giving me a constant but finite supply of energy; I can already feel my limbs getting tired with the workout, making my movements slower as a result. Maybe I shouldn't have spent all that time sitting on the library; then I'd probably be in a better shape.

The only reliable source of energy I have an abundance of, on the other hand, is… unstable. It keeps being fueled by fear, which by this point is so intense, the magic is actually escaping out of my fingertips, creating a great snowstorm. Plus, I can't really stop for a second to try and concentrate enough to create something useful, instead of just quick and random bursts of magic pointed to the general direction of my opponent.

Damn! If only I knew who is controlling the skeleton I could take them down. But they are probably far beyond the other side of the wall, out of my reach, so I'll have to deal with this thing first. Fuck. It's proving to be more difficult than I thought. If only I could get a few seconds to concentrate! Just enough to conjure enough magic to disintegrate it with a powerful blast. I'm sure I could manage that.

But… how? If only someone could fight it in my stead. Just for a moment.

Wait… this skeleton is alive, right? Does that mean that ice-wielders can create living things then? If so… could I do it too?

Barely avoiding being impaled by yet another giant icicle, I concentrate on my fear. I let it fill me until I can sense every inch of my body vibrating with dread and panic. I let my head imagine the worst case scenario and fuel my fear even more. Once it's all done (and it doesn't take long; I'm definitely terrified), I release a blast of magic as I wish for someone to protect poor little fragile me.

Sure enough, what started as a small snow monticule soon turns into a giant made of snow. It's half the stature of the skeleton, more robust and less terrifying. But his eyes have a blue glint, indicating it's alive, and it soon starts attacking the other giant, preventing any of its attacks from reaching me.

I don't know how long he'll manage to handle the skeleton on his own though, so I take a deep breath and close my eyes, concentrating solely on the magic inside my veins. I visualize it inside my head; vast and deep as an ocean, and almost just as infinite… but right now it's chaotic and dangerous like a storm. I need to placate it.

I start trying to imagine Anna. Her cute freckled face, always smiling, always being all cheery and optimistic. I imagine her soft, warm lips caressing mine, her wonderful smell surrounding me and making me feel at home. I imagine she's next to me right now, giving me all the strength I need to calm down the storm inside of me. When I look into my magic again, it's calmed down considerably, almost like there never was a storm to begin with.

Channeling my love for Anna, I pull as much magic as I can out of my body. I ready myself, opening my eyes and aiming at the ice skeleton that is now massacring my own creation with pure brute force. Then, once I feel like I can't keep it in any longer, I release the full extension of my power, concentrated in a single icy beam.

I hear a shriek before there's a big explosion of ice and snow that sends me flying backwards several feet before I fall into the ground, getting all air knocked out of me. I take a few moments to catch my breath, unable to move, and then I realize my whole body hurts because of small ice fragments that are now embedded in my skin.

At least I'm alive. And that thing, whatever it was, is dead.

I slowly get up and look at the place where the ice skeleton was… wait… where the ice skeleton _is_.

What just happened? How can it still be _alive_? That was like half of my magical power concentrated solely in one blast! It should have worked! But it didn't. By the looks of it, all I managed to do was to blow away some of its ribs, which are now being rapidly reconstructed. I have to get out of here!

Quickly, I release yet more magic and make a horse made of snow appear. I mount it and urge it to run away, faster and faster towards the forest. The magic that created it, however, is unstable because of the haste with which I used it. It feels like this horse will disintegrate at any second.

Just then, as if things couldn't get any worse, I hear a loud crash, and when I turn around I see the skeleton fighting against my snow golem in order to get to me. My warrior is only able to hold it back for a few seconds though, and soon it's thrown away and disappears in a cloud of mist and snow. I urge my horse to go faster, but it refuses; I don't think it _can_.

Then, I see the ice giant running towards me so quickly it's crossed half the distance between the wall and the line of trees in just a few seconds. Its steps shake the ground, making everything vibrate with the force of impact, and I grip my horse's neck tighter, hoping this will somehow make it move even faster. And it does. Miraculously, it does. And the magic also starts dissolving faster, making it seem like now I'm riding a beast half made of snow and half of mist.

And soon enough, it fades and I fall to the ground, sliding in the snow until I hit a very hard trunk headfirst. I taste blood in my mouth, and feel waves of pain emanating from my forehead, but I realize there's no time for crying. I quickly stand up on shaky legs before turning to see where my chaser is now.

It's still a few feet away, and I'm already in the forest. I have to find a shelter quick before it finds me!

I start running as fast as my tired and battered body can carry me, looking around to find some sort of shelter; maybe an empty trunk or a small cave, but before I can do so, something pulls my left foot and I end up falling into a trench I hadn't seen. I immediately try to get up and see what's going on, but a strong arm holds me back and a hand prevents me from uttering a sound. I glare at whoever is holding me, concentrating my magic in order to attack, but… it's Kristoff!

Seeing this, I relax and he finally lets go of me, signaling me to keep quiet and kneel down on the trench, so the skeleton won't find us. I do so and we wait in tense anticipation for that monster to pass, hearing his heavy steps as it enters the forest, shaking the land with every movement it makes. It sounds like it's getting closer to our little hideout too. Oh gods! What if it finds us? Kristoff can't run; his leg is still all bloody, and Sven is nowhere to be seen, probably because he wouldn't fit in here. And I won't be able to defeat this thing on my own!

Suddenly, I feel Kristoff's hand in mine, and look at him in surprise. He just points out to the quickly spreading ice that's formed around me, and I do my best to control it, but my magic just won't obey me when my mind is still filled with fears, and so it keeps expanding, cracking so loudly it makes me flinch.

Fuck! Come on, stop it! The monster will hear it.

And sure enough, its steps grow louder, and we even jump a little with every one of them. Then, we see its face appear just above our heads, partially obscured by the trees' branches. Our only hope now is that they're enough to cover us.

We hold our breath as that thing turns its head, searching for us. My chest is actually beating so loudly, I fear the skeleton may hear it, and my powers are so agitated, it starts snowing above our heads. Well… that's it. We're dead. I close my eyes, not wanting to see the moment I die, and I silently hope Anna won't be too sad about my death. My last thoughts are of how much I love her and how much I wish we could have spent more time together.

Then… I hear a sudden wind blowing through the trees, and open my eyes to see the skeleton dissolving into snow above our heads. And as quickly as it appeared, it's gone. Finally, I'm able to breathe and get up in shaky legs, still fearing it will materialize once more. But a few seconds pass and it all remains calm and quiet. The monster doesn't appear again. We're safe.

"It must have lost you." Kristoff says, trying to stand up, and I rush to help him.

"I hope so." I answer. "Where's Sven? We need to get back to the town."

"I'll call him." He says, before whistling loudly just one clear note.

As we wait for him to come back, I can't help but thinking just how lucky we are to be alive.

* * *

We arrive to the town many hours later, just when the sun is about to set on the horizon. The way back here was slow and painful; given how injured Kristoff was, he couldn't ride a reindeer very well, so Sven and I had to help him limp all the way here (which was very difficult, considering how heavy he is). Thankfully, we didn't encounter any more ice monsters; just a pack a wolves that I easily scared away with my powers.

The first thing we do upon arriving to Nordfkerk is going to the doctor, who immediately starts tending Kristoff's leg. I let him work and go outside, hoping to find Anna and tell her what happened… though I dread telling her about the soldiers' deaths. I still feel guilty about that.

"Elsa!" I hear her yell as soon as I step into the snow street. A second later, I'm being crushed by her arms, as she hugs me almost desperately.

"Anna." I say, hugging her back and relishing in her comforting warmth and wonderful scent. This is just what I needed after such a hard day.

"Some horses came back here, but their riders were nowhere to be found!" She says worriedly as she lets go just enough to look me in the eyes. "What happened? Are they with the doctor?"

"Uh… actually… Only Kristoff is in there." I say reluctantly, looking down in shame. "I'm sorry, Anna. I couldn't… I couldn't save them." Tears form in my eyes as I remember their bodies, probably still laying on the snow, covered in blood and ice. They were wiped out in an instant, and I couldn't even save one! I'm not the most powerful ice-wielder. I'm not the Ice Queen. Not anymore.

"W-what?" Anna says in shock as she reaches to catch my tears with her fingers. "Elsa, please tell me what happened."

I'm about to do just that when, suddenly, I hear a loud scream. We turn to the direction it came from, the forest, and see… Oh no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no! This can't be happening! We lost it! It dissipated in snow!… Or so we thought. Now, that horrible ice monster is here in Nordfkerk, no doubt planning to kill everyone.

"Elsa, what's that?" Anna's scared voice finally makes me react.

"Anna, there's no time to explain. Go to the inn and hide in there; tell everyone else to do the same. I'll take care of that thing." I try to appear more confident than I am, but it's difficult when my voice is trembling with fear.

"Elsa, no! We have to run away." She says, pulling me in attempt to escape, but I take her hands and make her let go of my clothes.

"If we run, it'll follow us; I need to kill it." I give her what I hope looks like a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I'm the most powerful ice-wielder, what's the worst that could happen?"

Before she can react, I run away from her and towards the icy monster. I don't want to do this, but the last thing I want is for it to kill Anna and everyone else in this town. I'll protect them! I won't let them die like I let the soldiers.

"I'm here!" I shout, waving my hands in the air to get its attention, but it's already focusing on the nearby people, who are now running for their lives. It tries to crush them with its enormous hands and feet, but thankfully they manage to get into the buildings just in time.

Angry, the monster destroys the upper floor of the inn with just one movement of its hand, since that's where most people went to. The owner was still outside though, since he had opened the door for people to take refuge in there, and he screams in frustration upon seeing his establishment destroyed.

"You! How dare you!" He yells at the thing before grabbing an axe he had out there in a trunk for cutting wood, and he charges to the monster with only that. I don't know if to face palm myself or save him, since after all he was pretty mean to me, but… well, I can't just let him die so stupidly.

Before the monster can step on him, I release a burst of magic and hit the skeleton's head, effectively making it aware of my presence. It turns around and shrieks, my blood running cold at the horrible sound and the memories it evokes. However, I stay firm. This isn't just about my survival; it's about saving everyone here.

I raise my hands and conjure a huge blizzard, directing it towards the monster and forcing it back, pushing it towards the forest again, so our fight won't endanger anyone's life. However, before we even get near the border of the town, it plants its feet firmly on the ground and raises its hands, resisting being pushed back. I try making the wind blow stronger, even closing my eyes to be able to concentrate better. But it just won't relent; it's too strong. I start sweating because of the effort, and I clench my teeth when I feel myself getting pushed back by the wind. It's redirecting my own magic! I resist for about ten seconds, using all my strength to hold it back, but… just as my resistance wavers, I'm thrown back and land on the hard cobblestones of the road.

First I hit my shoulder, and then I roll, hitting my back and my right arm before finally landing on my stomach. I fight to breathe as tears appear on my eyes because of the pain, but I know I'm very vulnerable, so I try to ignore it and get up before that thing kills me. However, before I can do anything, the skeleton's hand grabs me and lifts me off the ground. I struggle, but as expected, I'm too weak to move its fingers even an inch, much less liberate myself from its strong grip.

Once I'm eye-level with this monster, it starts squishing harder, and I can't help screaming and crying in pain. And fear; I'm pretty sure this thing wants to crush me to death. I attempt liberating myself with my magic, but it's difficult to concentrate when it feels like my ribs and arms are seconds away from breaking. Actually, I can't even breathe anymore, so I bet I'm seconds away from fainting too.

It only gets worse when a layer of ice appears between me and this monster's hand, becoming thicker and thicker until I'm completely surrounded by it, except my head. At least I can breathe now; the pressure having diminished considerably. It looks like the skeleton doesn't want to kill me, but rather… _capture_ me?

"Leave her alone!" I hear Anna's voice surprisingly near. I turn my head and look down and, effectively, there's the redhead, holding a sword like she would be able to kill this monster with it.

"Anna, no!" I yell, just before I feel myself falling. I hit the ground with force, but thankfully the ice is still around me, protecting me. The skeleton must have dropped me, but why?

Well, looks like he cares more about Anna than me, because now it's following her, probably trying to kill her, if the way he constantly launches giant ice spikes at her are any indication. Thankfully, she's quick and agile enough to evade its attacks… for the moment. Now, I have to get out of here and save her.

As expected, Anna can't keep evading it forever, and soon, she ends up slipping on the ice and falling. She quickly gets up but the skeleton doesn't waste time and quickly throws ice at her feet, effectively preventing her from running away. Desperately, I keep struggling with the ice, conjuring magic in order to liberate myself. But it isn't enough.

The skeleton smiles maliciously before opening its mouth, ready to release its power and kill my beloved. I can't fail now! I can't just not save her! I have to be strong enough. I have to…!

The fear of losing Anna fuels my magic, making it stronger than ever. I forget about how tired I am, or how much everything hurts. I don't care how strong this ice is; I'm going to break it! I have to save Anna!

I feel a great amount of energy leaving my body as my icy bounds explode in a million pieces. Once I'm free, I don't waste a second before running towards the ice monster, placing myself between it and Anna. Then, I raise my hands and push it back with a gust of wind, not caring that I'm almost at the verge of fainting from exhaustion.

"Elsa!" Anna screams, but I realize too late that she wanted to warn me. The monster's hand makes contact with me and sends me flying several feet away. I should be used to this by now, but I still have to take a moment to recover my breath and try to get up despite the pain. But before I can even sit up, I'm pushed back into the ground by something very strong.

I fight to open my eyes despite the pain I feel on my chest and abdomen, and see that the monster is now above me, crushing me under its foot. However, it's not applying enough pressure to kill me; just to stop me. It's still enough for one of its giant claws to perforate my chest, drawing blood, but not going deep enough to damage anything vital.

I scream in pain as I try to get it off of me, gripping at its toes and pushing them despite knowing it's useless. At least its attention is on me now, and not in Anna. But I'm sure that, as soon as I faint or it manages to permanently incapacitate me in any other way, it'll kill her. But what can I do to stop it? It's practically immortal! What kind of magic is this anyways?

Wait… what magic is it, indeed? Maybe I could try and feel its source.

Granted, I'm not good at these sorts of things, but being in contact with this monster helps, and so I close my eyes and concentrate on the flow of magic inside this ice beast. I start by feeling the energy at its toes, and in my mind it looks like a dark purple liquid that comes from above. I follow it until its knees, then its chest, shoulders, neck and… there it is! The source! A great pool inside its head, being fueled drop by drop by someone far, far away.

But… all this magic, it feels familiar, yet different somehow. It's almost like I could… control it? To an extent at least. It's corrupted, mixed with other energies, but I'm still able to identify the small part of it that resembles my own magic, and use it to attack the monster from its core.

First, I disintegrate its source of magic, making it leave its original place and flow chaotically throughout the skeleton's body. Now, instead of keeping the shape of its icy bones, it starts making them crumble, and I even feel the toes I'm grabbing turn into millions of small fragments of ice. But it's not like when it turned into snow before; no, now I'm ripping the magic out of its body, making it just a bunch of useless pieces of ice with no life or soul.

Granted, I can't absorb the magic inside myself, since it's not _mine._ It's very similar, but even then, I can't pull my own magic inside myself once I release it, so I don't even try. Hopefully, making it float away in the wind in many different directions will be enough.

Now… gosh, I'm too exhausted. Everything hurts. I think I could sleep for all eternity and still be tired.

My eyelids get heavy rather quickly, and I can't keep myself from drifting off to sleep. The last thing I see is a very worried freckled face, and a voice asking me to stay with her. I would, but I really am too tired, and I can't stay awake.

* * *

 **A/N: So... what do you think? I bet you weren't expecting that! Then again, this fic is just full of surprises, if I do say so myself. Anyways, tanks for reading, and if you liked this chapter, please review. I'm very eager to know your thoughts and theories about this, after all! :D**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	27. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26:**

 _I'm in my palace, listening intently to Olaf as he recounts to us another amusing tale about his day, at least half of which is exaggerated if not outright lies. Something about some wolves chasing him into the woods trying to steal a nut cake he'd bought at the newly opened bakery._

 _It was difficult, but apparently two years of hard work have paid off, and now we not only have a bakery, but also a working trade system between our few settlements. Most of the trade is merchants bartering food, goods we make ourselves or things from outside the Northern Lands. We still produce very little compared to our overall needs, so most of the higher quality goods are things brought from Arendelle, especially clothing. Ice-wielders aside, people need the warmest clothing they can get, and most of us were lucky to have rags before now._

 _I just hope we could start mass producing our own non-icy clothes soon enough. It's rather risky to send non-ice-wielders over there to exchange the gems we extract in our mines for clothes, goods and food, since it's still difficult to grow crops here. And that Hans volunteers to lead the missions most of the time is even more concerning. I don't know, I guess I still don't trust him completely, given his radical views, but ever since I became Queen he hasn't disobeyed me even once, and he hasn't killed anyone on his missions to Arendelle, according to the ones who accompanied him, but… I'm still weary. Paranoid, says Helen._

 _Talking (or thinking, in this case) about the devil, just now Hans walks into the dining room, followed by a young ice-wielder woman with short blonde hair and blue eyes. I think I've seen her before, actually. She joined Hans' rebel group just before The Northern Lands' war for independence._

" _Hans! I'm glad you were able to join us!" Bulda says smiling, after all, he normally has lunch at the mines, where he works._

" _Well,_ someone _here dragged me out of work." He chuckles, giving a playful look at the girl he's with. "Anyways, I guess I have never properly introduced her." He pauses, taking her hand. "Family, this is Tyra, my girlfriend. Tyra, this is my family: Bulda, Olaf, Marshall, Elsa and my sister Helen." He pointed to each one of us as he mentioned our names, and we waved politely. She, on the other hand, just says hi._

 _I didn't know Hans had a girlfriend, and at first glance she appears far too beautiful to be with someone as gruff as him, even if her clothing doesn't exactly compliment her figure. She is wearing some kind of ice-made armor, like she's ready for battle._

" _Oh, so you finally brought a girl home." Bulda says in a teasing tone. "A beautiful one, at that. Why don't you sit down, dear? Hans, you go clean yourself up; you're not eating here while covered in dirt."_

" _Sure,_ mom _." He rolls his eyes, but ends up obeying anyways. "Just try not to bother Tyra too much." He warns before leaving._

 _As the only seat available right now is next to me, Tyra comes sit at my side, not before giving me curt nod and saying:_

" _Queen Elsa, it's a honor to finally meet you in person." I don't know why, but her tone sets me on edge; its almost like she's a threat. Or maybe it's just the fact that, being so close, I now realize her face is familiar in some way. Maybe it's just that her features are strikingly similar to mine, or maybe I've seen her before. I don't remember._

" _Haven't we met before?." I voice out my suspicions._

" _I think I'd remember such a thing." She says with a polite smile._

" _Do you work in the mines with Hans?" Bulda asks._

" _Oh, no. I don't really like going underground." She says. "I work as a guard at the wall, though it's been boring me to tears recently."_

" _Aren't you afraid of the Arendellians? They could attack at any moment." Helen asks, sounding slightly scared._

" _I can easily defeat a bunch of tin soldiers." She smirks. "My powers are more than enough to keep me safe."_

" _You must be very powerful then." Bulda comments._

" _Oooh! Can we build a snowman after lunch? Elsa and Marshall have been too busy lately." Olaf says with a big goofy smile._

" _Sure, I don't see why not." She agrees. "But I'm afraid I'm not as powerful as the Queen."_

" _Don't worry, I just need a bunch of snow." He answers happily, making Tyra giggle._

" _Alright. I guess I could use the practice."_

" _How old were you when you got your powers?" I ask, though normally it's considered rude to make that question to another Northerner, especially one you just met._

" _A few months older than you, Your Majesty." She answers, giving me a pointed look. Immediately, I get chills, even though I can't feel cold._

" _A few months?!" I practically scream. She's the most powerful ice-wielder I've heard of besides myself._

" _Maybe a year, or a year and a half. My parents only ever said I was a baby." She answers, and instantly I start to panic internally. She sounds almost as strong as me, and that makes her dangerous! Plus she's older, so she's probably had more time to grow and learn to control her powers, while I…_

" _Relax." She laughs. "You're making it snow here. I'm not planning anything, if that's what you're worried about."_

" _Right." I quickly say, trying to dispel the snow, but it keeps falling. "Uhm… let's talk about something else."_

" _How did you meet Hans, honey?" Bulda shoots another question, obviously trying to distract me._

" _Oh, that's quite a story, actually." Hans' voice says, and we turn to see him walk in, wearing clean clothes and having washed his hands and face. "Elsa, can you make me a chair please?" I do as he asks, and he promptly sits next to Tyra. "Thanks. Now, as I was saying, I stumbled upon her on one of the Liberation Group missions I was a part of. Literally."_

" _Yes. I remember I scared the shit out of you with my powers." She teases._

" _You attacked me!" He defends himself._

" _You sneaked on me while I was practicing! I thought you were a soldier." She shoots back, playfully._

" _And then I told you I was with the resistance and you joined us just to be close to me." He smiles self-sufficiently._

" _That's not quite how I remember it." She chuckles. "I joined you because I believe Northerners deserve a better life, and Arendellians need to pay for what they've done." She sneers at the last part, and I can't help thinking she's just perfect for Hans, which makes me even wearier of her._

" _I don't think that's necessary." I voice out my opinion. "We have a good life here, and we don't need another war destroying everything we've built over the past couple of years."_

" _I understand." She says quickly, eager to express her point of view. "But at the same time, I want more than peace. I want justice. I was locked away in a basement my whole life, unable to use my powers for fear of punishment. And when the King found me, he exiled me without a second thought! I was only twelve! And here I was treated like garbage, to the point I decided to escape to the mountains and live in isolation. My life was pain from the moment I was born. How is that fair?"_

 _Her eyes are now wet with barely contained tears, and it's obvious on the trembling of her voice that this is a very sensitive subject for her. However, when she finishes talking, I don't know what to do, that is, until Hans shoots me an angry look as he puts an arm around Tyra's shoulders. I may not trust her much, but the least I can do is show her some support. As her Queen, and as a fellow Northerner._

" _I understand how you feel." I say in a small voice, trying not to evoke my own painful memories. "Believe it or not, my story is strikingly similar to yours."_

* * *

" _Uhm… Elsa?" Helen's voice interrupts me as I'm undoing my braid and preparing myself to sleep. I look at my ice-made mirror and see her standing at the door, already in her nightgown and with her beautiful long hair undone. A smile naturally forms in my lips as I see her and I prompt her to come in._

" _Come in, Helen. What brings you here?"_

" _Well… I was hoping I could spend some time with you." She says, coming to stand behind me. "Since lately you've been so busy being Queen, and I really needed to talk to someone."_

" _Oh? About what?" I ask curiously before Helen gently takes the brush out of my grasp and silently asks for permission to brush my hair, which I grant with a small nod._

" _About…" She pauses, frowning. "Tyra."_

" _Ah._ Her _." I say with clear distaste in my voice, which is only soothed by Helen's gentle touch upon my head._

" _Yeah." She makes a face. "I mean, I know we've only met her today, but like… I don't know, there's just something off about her. Don't you feel it too?"_

" _Well, it's not like I was expecting anything less from someone who wanted to be Hans' girlfriend." I answer honestly. "But yes, you're right. It always feels like she's holding something back. Coupled with her great powers and her opinion on our relationship with Arendelle… I don't know, I just don't trust her."_

" _Yeah, but it's impossible to dislike her either. She seems to make Hans very happy, and what she thinks of Arendelle is very understandable, though the way she voiced it wasn't the best." She pauses, pursing her lips, as if deciding whether she should speak or not. After a few seconds, she finally talks in a small and shy tone of voice. "Actually, I'd been wondering why you haven't attacked them yet myself."_

" _You can't be serious!" I almost scream. I didn't thought quiet and gentle Helen could also share such thoughts. She shrinks at my outburst, and I take a few deep breaths in order to not freeze something._

" _I-I'm sorry. I just…" She bites her lip, giving me an apologetic expression. "I'm not the only one. We were all oppressed by Arendelle, we all lost our families and homes because of them. It's reasonable to want some justice."_

" _Killing innocent civilians isn't justice." I argue, slightly angry both at her and at the people she heard such things from. "And a war is the last thing we need right now, we have enough problems as it is."_

" _I-I know!" She says defensively. "Believe me, I wouldn't want to relieve what happened during the revolution, and I understand why you won't do it. But… I thought you should think about it. Listen to your people, even if you don't give them exactly what they want."_

 _I stay silent for a few moments, thinking about what she just said. Maybe she's right, and this is something I'll surely have to deal with sooner rather than later. People want justice, and if I don't offer it to them, they'll take it with their own hands. I just need to find a way to convince them that justice and revenge are not the same thing._

" _Yes, you're right." I sigh. "I'll think about it."_

" _Great!" She gives me a big smile. "Now, do you think I could sleep with you tonight? It's been a while since we've had a sleepover."_

 _Maybe because I'm currently a hormonal teenager that can't trust her own hands when she's asleep. Or her dangerous ice-powers, for that matter._

" _I'd like that." I find myself saying before I can stop myself. "But… maybe you should bring a heavier blanket. Sleeping with me can get rather…_ cold _."_

" _Really? But you're too hot!"_

 _At her words, I feel heat rising to my cheeks and my blood rushing so fast I feel like I'm going to pass out. She's never said anything like that before! She's just too innocent for that. Or… could she, maybe, be flirting with me?_

 _Of course, she laughs at my reaction._

" _Or at least that's what the boys at the mines say." She clarifies, still trying to contain her laughter._

" _J-just go get another blanket!" I stutter out, too embarrassed to come up with a better response._

" _Right on it, my_ Queen _." She answers with mocking tone before running out of the room, still laughing like there's no tomorrow. And I can't even bring myself to be mad at her. She's too cute for her own good._

* * *

 _Months have passed ever since Tyra joined our little family. She actually lives in the palace now, though she stays in a room separate from Hans, since it wouldn't be_ proper _otherwise. I still don't trust her much, and I hate when we discuss politics, but I guess she's not that bad. I tolerate her, at least._

 _Today, however, I'm going to spend the whole day with her because… well, she offered to train me. Well, to practice with me, as she said. But considering I can barely control my powers and she's become the leader of the border guards, I'd say she's probably going to teach me. Or at least try to._

 _Of course, being that we are the most powerful ice-wielders alive, we decided to head towards my Ice Palace in the North Mountain, where we will be able to use our magic without worrying about hurting someone if we lose control._

 _During the ride there (she made us snow horses), we make some attempt at small talk. It's pretty awkward, actually. Mainly because I don't want to talk to her, or even be here for that matter. But I really need help controlling my powers, and who is better to teach me than someone almost as powerful as me?_

" _So…" She starts after a particularly long pause, just when we're getting close to the top of the mountain. "Hans told me you have been having problems with your magic for a little over three years."_

" _More like my whole life." I say without thinking._

" _How so?" She asks, raising an eyebrow. I consider lying, or just not answering, but I guess if I want her to help me, I better be honest._

" _Well… whenever I feel something,_ anything _, some of my magic is released, and its always outside of my control. It's even more problematic with negative emotions." I explain._

" _Oh. That's all?" She chuckles, and I throw a glare at her. "I mean, no offense, but all ice-wielders have, at some point, had a problem with that." When I just keep glaring at her, she quickly adds. "Alright, we'll work on it. Anything else?"_

" _I usually can't reverse my magic, even when its something I did voluntarily. And, what's worse, once I start releasing it, sometimes I just can't seem to stop." I say, and she nods thoughtfully._

" _Alright, that is a little more problematic." She admits. "But first we should talk about the theory of magic. After all, if you don't understand it, how can you control it?" I nod, and she continues. "For starters, magic is a part of you. You control it, and you have to_ believe _you can control it for it to do your bidding."_

" _As you know, it's tied to emotions, but what that really means is that, whenever you feel something strongly enough, your magic will try to come out of your body. It is your duty to direct it and make it do as you wish, including staying inside." She makes a small pause, thinking. "Now, I must admit that the more powerful an ice-wielder is, the less intensity of an emotion is necessary to make magic work. So, in your case, it will be very difficult to control it."_

" _I'd recommend using your magic every day. That way, the amount you have at a time will diminish, and you will be able to control it better." She adds. "But just one question, has it stopped growing yet?"_

" _I-I I don't know." I admit with a grimace. "But I'm eighteen, so… maybe? It's difficult to know, since lately I've been using my magic to help around town."_

" _I see. Well, let's just hope it doesn't grow to the point you can't control it." She says, tightening her lips in concern._

 _Oh, believe me, it has long since passed that point. But anyways, we're here, so I guess it's time to stop talking and start training._

 _We dismount our horses and leave them at the palace's entrance, while we go to a bare portion of land just next to my castle in order to start my training. She makes me change into more comfortable clothes, so I make myself a pair of pants and boots to substitute my skirt and heels. At least my bun seems to be okay, though she said it'd be better to have short hair. She really has no sense of fashion, and she's too masculine for her own good. But I guess I shouldn't judge her for that. I hope she's as good a teacher as she said she was._

" _Alright, first of all, we'll need to start by something simple." She says when we're both ready. "Make a single snowflake using a positive emotion to conjure it."_

" _Easy." I answer, holding up my hand and barely concentrating at all as I think of Helen and make a snowflake appear out of thin air._

" _That's_ three _snowflakes." She deadpans. "I said one."_

 _I look at my hand and see that, effectively, there's more than just one little flake floating around. I concentrate and quickly make the other two disappear._

" _Involuntary leaks of power. Got it." She says as she scribbles something on a notebook she'd apparently brought with her. "Alright. Now I want you to do the same thing, only using anger instead."_

" _Only one snowflake, right?" I say as I concentrate on how angry it makes me to have to accept classes from this woman. Oh, how I hate her!_

 _Suddenly, the magic intended to make the snowflake shifts into a dangerous beam that shoots skyward before turning into dozens of icy needles that fall down upon us. Thankfully, Tyra reacts quickly and shields us with a dome of ice. I give her an apologetic look._

" _I see. Anger is particularly difficult to control for you. What about other negative emotions?" She asks, not even fazed by what happened. "Fear, for example."_

" _Oh, believe me, you_ don't _want to see me scared." I answer._

" _Do you fear your powers?" She then asks. I pause, trying to figure out the answer myself, and purse my lips when I realize the truth; when I relive all the times I killed people with my magic and all the incidents in which I lost control. And also that night, before I was exiled. Yes, I do fear my powers._

" _I see." She nods, even when I don't say anything. "We'll have to work on that too. A good mage has to be able to channel even negative emotions to conjure magic. And control it properly."_

" _Alright." I sigh. "Where do we start then?"_

* * *

 _I've been training with Tyra for months now. Once a week we go to my Ice Palace and stay there for two days just perfecting the control of both my magic and emotions. And to think she learned all of this by herself!… And then used it to kill dozens of soldiers during the revolution. But then again, I probably killed more than her._

 _Anyways, today she wanted to test me, see how much I've progressed. And to do that, we're going to fight. I don't really like the idea though, because even if she has better control of her magic, I'm probably more powerful than her, given the age at which we acquired our powers. But she insisted, so… I just hope I won't hurt her. Too much._

 _I still don't trust her though. I'm sure she has an ulterior motive when it comes to teaching me. But I guess the only way to find out is to play her game._

" _You start." She says once we've positioned ourselves, and I don't waste a second before releasing a burst of magic aimed at her face. As expected, she quickly makes an ice shield and stops it, but I simply concentrate on my frustration and channel even more magic, hoping to break her defense._

" _You rely on raw power too much." She says just before she moves to the side and shoots icicles in my direction. I try to block them with a wall of ice, but they manage to pass through it and I just barely avoid being pierced by them._

 _Wait… this is wrong. It was supposed to be training, but she's shooting to kill! Oh my God, she's trying to kill me! What do I do? I can't let her do this._

 _Trying to avoid or block her attacks as best I as I can, I try to focus on controlling my magic in order to land an attack on her. But I'm too scared. My heart feels like it's beating a thousand times per minute, and my powers are so agitated it starts snowing without me wanting to._

 _The few attacks I manage to do are more out of desperation than anything, and she easily blocks them or redirects them towards me. My magic is actually so unstable that, when I conjure an icicle to throw at Tyra, its shape is irregular, and its size bigger than intended. There's also a storm now, and ice spreading all around me, making useless irregular forms._

 _Tyra is relentless with her attacks, making me run for my life and forcing me to be constantly on the defensive. It's not long before I commit a mistake and end up with a deep wound in my right leg as I'm pierced of an icicle. Of course the pain doesn't exactly help me regain control of my magic, and the loss of mobility only makes me get hurt again when Tyra sends a strong blizzard towards me, and I'm unable to avoid it. I end up being thrown around like a ragdoll, getting bruises and cuts when I crash into the ice I made myself._

 _Everything hurts. And I feel like I have one million wounds all over my body. Yet Tyra keeps attacking without mercy until I can't move anymore. It doesn't matter anyways; my defenses do nothing against her attacks. She's more powerful than me, something I thought to be impossible until today._

 _I start crying when I see her approaching, but I don't know if it is because of fear or because I'm having an existential crisis. I was always the most powerful ice-wielder in my mind, and in the minds of everyone around me. That's why I was crowned Queen. But… now Tyra is probably going to dethrone me and attack Arendelle. All because I'm weak and pathetic and stupid and…_

" _Come on, get up." I'm pulled out of my spiraling thoughts when Tyra calls out to me. I see her through my teary eyes, and realize she's extending her hand towards me._

" _Don't y-you think you h-have hu-hurt me e-enough?" I answer through my sobs. But I don't really think I'm crying because of the physical pain._

" _Yes. You're clearly nowhere near ready to use your magic properly. We're heading back, then we'll get you banged up and continue your training next week."_

" _No!" I yell at her as I get up with great difficulty, wincing when I place some weight on my injured leg. "I'm tired of this. Of you. I don't want to use my magic, and I won't!"_

" _And when we go to war with Arendelle, what will you do?!" She yells back, upset I'm giving up on my training._

" _We aren't going to war with Arendelle. Never." I snarl._

" _And what about all the people who elected you Queen? Are you not going to give them the revenge they deserve? The security they need that we won't be attacked at any moment? What about better lands to grow our food?"_

" _We do well here." I snarl, getting so angry it starts snowing once more. "We've progressed, making plants grow where no one thought was possible, constructing houses where there were bare snowy plains, and even mining more sapphires than Arendelle could ever hope for! We don't need a war destroying everything we've accomplished!"_

" _Is that really the reason? Or are you just a coward?" She shoots back, obviously wanting to make me upset. Well, it's working._

" _I'm the Queen! You can't talk to me like that."_

" _You are only the Queen because the people chose the one they thought was the most powerful ice-wielder. What would they do if they found out that you can't control your magic to save your life?" I glare at her in response, but she continues. "They should have crowned me instead, as was intended in the first place. At least_ I _didn't run off after the battle."_

" _Maybe you should kill me and take the throne for yourself." I say, not really thinking before opening my mouth. Not that it matters; she was probably going to do that anyways._

" _Maybe I should." She answers with a soft but menacing voice, her eyes shining with barely contained anger and resentment. But then she turns around and walks away, leaving me alone and confused, with a deep feeling of doom and anger sitting heavy in my chest._

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry, no Elsanna this chapter, but I promise I'll make it up for you in the next one ;). If you liked this, please leave a review, tell me your thoughts, your theories, what do you think of Tyra? I really like knowing what you think of my stories.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading, and sorry for the delay. I promise next chapter will come out sooner.**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	28. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27.**

It's been a little more than a week since that horrid day when I fought the ice monster, though to me it feels like less since it took me three full days to wake up after I passed out during the fight. And I've never felt weaker, or more defeated. At least, not that I remember.

Currently I'm finishing eating lunch, which consisted solely of some tea, cheese and a small piece of bread.

Ever since I woke up, Anna has ordered Gerda to tend to my every need, including stuffing me to the brim at every meal, in hopes that eating extra food will be able to improve my health. But no. I simply don't want to eat. I don't even feel like I have the energy to do so. My thoughts keep returning to the fight, and to what I remembered after.

Tyra. I still don't have all my memories of her back; I'm pretty sure of that. But I have no doubt she was the one who dethroned me. As Hans' girlfriend she had plenty of opportunity, she's as powerful as I am and far more skilled in combat. Most importantly, she clearly despised me and my views, and if killing me meant getting her revenge, she'd have done it without hesitation. She even said so herself! But… now that I know it was her, what use is it to me?

I doubt I'd be able to stand a chance against her, even now that I'm older and have better control of my magic. And honestly? I don't see the point in trying. Not only because I fear for my life and Anna's, but because I wonder if the Northerners even _want_ me back as their Queen. After all, if even Helen wanted revenge on Arendelle, what would the others say? That I was a coward? That I lied to them about the strength of my powers? That I'm a traitor for working, and entering into a relationship, with the enemy?

Maybe I'm all of those things and more. Maybe I didn't ever deserve to be Queen. Maybe I wasn't the best person to understand the needs and demands of the people. Maybe I should just stay in Arendelle and hope Tyra won't attack. Or just run away with Anna and hide where our problems can't find us. I'm tired of this; of this unforgiving world. I'm tired of all the judgmental people that only desire war and revenge. I wish I could just stay in this bed forever.

In that moment the door to my room opens, and I turn expecting to see Gerda coming to collect the dirty dishes. Instead, I find Anna. I give her a little smile as she comes to sit next to me on the bed, a concerned expression in her eyes; one that hasn't left her since I woke up.

"Hey." I say as greeting, doing my best to sound more energetic than I feel.

"How are you feeling?" She asks, frowning. Apparently, she didn't buy my act even a little bit.

"Better." I shrug. And it's the truth; physically I'm steadily improving, but my emotional state is still less than ideal.

"Really?" She shoots me a skeptical glare, and I have to fight the urge to flinch.

"Yes, Anna, really. No evil _Tyra_ nt is going to defeat me so easily." I try to make a pun (a bad one, I admit), but even as the words leave my mouth, I remember all the memories I recovered about her and feel a little twist in my stomach.

"Well, she came dangerously close." She stated, giving me an exasperated look. And honestly, I can't really blame her. I barely talked to her about what happened that night, or about the memories I've been recovering, or the current state of my magic, or… anything, really. I've been perhaps a bit too quiet the last few days. But I don't feel like changing that.

"But she didn't succeed." Is all I finally manage to say. Anna just sighs and gets up from the bed.

"Alright. Today I'm taking the day off, and we're going to spend some time in the gardens." She says, crossing her arms over her chest and wearing a strict look on her face.

"Do you think that's a good idea? I'm still not feeling well." I practically whine, not wanting to even get out the bed. I just wish to lay down and stare at the ceiling like I've been doing for the past few days.

"The doctor said some fresh air would be good for you." Anna answers. "Now get up, and if you're not ready in fifteen minutes, I'm going to dress you myself." And giving me a rather strict expression, she exits the room.

I briefly consider disobeying. I mean, what can Anna do to make me get off bed, really? If I pretend I'm sick enough she'll probably give up in the end. But… I really don't feel like arguing with her, and spending some time in the gardens doesn't sound that bad. Okay, I'll go. For Anna's sake.

* * *

After I've dressed in the simplest and comfiest dress possible, I join Anna in the gardens. The walk there wasn't really that bad, but my headache seemed to get a little bit worse because of the effort. Thankfully, just as I'm starting to regret my decision, the Queen appears and gives me her arm to take. I do just that and promptly we start strolling through the green scenery as Anna rambles about the many adventures she's had in that place and about which plants she likes best.

The view is pretty enough; bright green and well-trimmed grass, bushes of roses (though without flowers) delineating the brick road, and in the distance great trees, some even blooming with flowers or sporting fruits.

However, I soon discover I'm not exactly enjoying myself. The sun is too bright, almost blinding me and making me scrunch my eyes in discomfort. The heat doesn't help either, and soon enough I start sweating profusely. My legs start to hurt after a few minutes of walking and I find the scent of the flowers to be suffocating rather than pleasant. Thankfully, Anna seems to notice all of this despite me not saying a thing, and quickly suggests we go sit next to a pond and feed the ducks.

Thankfully, there's a tall tree near the pond, so it's shadow gives me some much needed protection from the sun's blazing light, though still not enough to stop my headache completely. But I put on a smile and try to pay attention to what Anna is saying as she introduces me to all the ducks. How she remembers their names and knows which one is which (honestly, they all look the same) is beyond me, but I still take the bread and throw some pieces to the ducks, watching them as they eat.

Anna is obviously trying to be even more cheerful and enthusiastic than usual, but there's only so much she can do to get me interested in the ducks for more than five minutes. And she seems to notice, because sooner than I would have liked, her expression turns serious and she straightens, apparently ready to give me a lecture on how I shouldn't stay on bed all day.

Gosh, I really don't need this. Still, I feign indifference and pluck at the grass absentmindedly, hoping that she'll just leave me alone if I don't look at her.

"Elsa, we need to talk." She says, her voice filled with dreadful anticipation. I can't help flinching a little at her choice of words; it kinda sounds like she's about to break up with me. However, I don't say a thing and just acknowledge her with a small nod, continuing to look at the grass. She sighs, but speaks up anyways.

"You've been acting weird ever since you woke up, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do to help you! I want to be there for you. I know what happened there was terrifying and that you don't want to talk about it, but I really can't just sit here knowing you're hurting and do nothing!"

I frown and decide not to answer. I'm not sure about what I could even say anyways, but… I feel Anna's eyes on me as the silence stretches, and I start fidgeting anxiously. This is just so awkward! I guess I should simply say something and hope she'll then drop the subject.

"What's there to do? I'm not the Ice Queen. I'm not the most powerful ice-wielder. And you can't change that." Perhaps I sound a little too bitter and resentful, when none of this is Anna's fault. But I just can't help it. This has been too much for me to handle.

"Is that really what's bothering you?" Anna asks in disbelief. "That you're not as powerful as you thought you were? Why does it matter?"

"Because if Tyra is the Ice Queen, I don't stand a chance against her!" I practically yell at her, finally tearing my gaze from the grass and looking at the redhead sitting beside me. "I'm just a stupid girl who once thought she could be a leader for the Northerners, who believed that peace with Arendelle was possible, only for it all to blow up in my face." Anna flinches visibly at my outburst, but I still don't stop. "I _can't_ bring peace, and I can't stop her. Tyra will attack sooner or later, and I won't be able to do anything about it except watch as everything I care about is destroyed before she finally succeeds in killing me."

For a moment, silence reigns between us, Anna being at a loss of words for once and staring at me with surprise, before looking to the side with a small pout.

"Geez, cheer up, will you? There's no need to be so gloomy." She mumbles. I glare at her, and noticing this, she sighs and returns her gaze to me. "Alright, I understand that you're scared and whatever, but let's look at this from a rational perspective, since that's all you always do anyways." She pauses, putting a finger on her chin as she thinks.

"Okay, so you say Tyra is more powerful than you, right? Based on a memory?" I nod, and she answers with a nod of her own. "Okay, but what exactly does that mean? I thought the amount of magic you have had more to do with at which age you acquired it, and you can't get any lower than a newborn, right?"

"No." I sigh, too tired and exasperated to have this conversation, but I know Anna won't drop it, so I decide to indulge her. "When it comes to the amount of power inside oneself, I'm the most powerful ice-wielder. But if we talk about control… I'm probably the weakest." I admit with a grimace.

"Really?" Anna raises an eyebrow. "But you've had a pretty good control of your magic almost all the time you've been here, except when you got scared or angry."

"That's because I…" I pause, pursing my lips. Honestly, I have been thinking about that a lot during all the time I spent bedridden. It didn't make sense; in my memories, my magic was pretty much uncontrollable and dangerously wild, while in present time… it did get out of control from time to time, but nothing to the extent I experienced in my dreams. There was only one explanation for that, at least that I could think of. "My magic… it's not all there."

"Wait, what?" Anna exclaims confused, so I elaborate.

"Whenever I use magic, the amount I have within by body diminishes. The more magic I use, the longer it takes for it to come back." I pause, thinking on the best way to explain this to someone who doesn't have magic of her own. "For example, the other day when I fought that ice monster, I used up about half the magical power I had stored up in that moment. I've recovered slightly the last few days, but I still have significantly less than when I started fighting."

"I see, but then… are you saying that you have more control now because you've been using magic faster than it can regenerate?"

"No. I'm saying that when I woke up without memories, I had even less magic than I have now." I clarify. "It has been regenerating gradually, and still hasn't even come close to reaching the maximum amount I can handle at a time, which improves my control over it."

"I see, so when you said you felt it was growing, it was actually regenerating." Anna nods thoughtfully. "That makes sense." And then her eyes widen. "But wait, if it _still_ hasn't reached its maximum, then…"

"Yes." I interrupt her. "That surely means that, before losing my memory, I used practically all the magical power I had at once."

"But _how_? Wouldn't that like… be enough to cover a whole _kingdom_ in an early winter?!" Anna says, obviously panicked.

"Probably." I agree. "I suspect I actually had a pretty big fight with the current Ice Queen before fleeing to Arendelle, and that I used almost all of my power during said battle."

"That's a good guess." Anna says, looking more serious for a moment. "And very worrying too, since that means you have fought the Ice Queen using all of your power and _still_ failed."

"Now you see why I'm not being at all optimistic about our current situation?"

"Okay, okay. I get it now." Anna relented, putting her hands up in a placating manner. "And yeah, maybe we don't have the answers that we need right now, or a plan to deal with all of this, but we'll solve it all, I promise!" She tries sounding enthusiastic, but in her eyes there is a tiny spark of doubt. Still, not wanting to sour the mood even more, I give her a small smile.

"If you say so." I shrug.

"Of course I do! As long as we're together, we can overcome whatever it comes." She exclaims, not at all affected by my apparent apathy. "Now…" She pauses, giving me a mischievous look that leaves me wondering if I should be worried or excited about it. "We should stop talking about all this worrying stuff! That's not why I brought you here, after all."

"And… why _did_ you brought me here?" I ask, trying to sound exited. And failing. It's not like I'm not looking forward to some alone time with Anna, but really, I don't feel like I have the energy to do anything with her.

"Oh, you know…" She deviates her gaze and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear as she always does when she's nervous. As her cheeks take a bright red color and a shy smile appears on her face, I have no doubt in my mind of what she's thinking. My heart races in anticipation despite myself. "I just wanted to cheer you up, and… well, it wouldn't be proper to do so in your bedroom." She says, leaning in closer to me and looking at my eyes with desire and love.

"Oh. _Oh_." I say, when I realize just what she was thinking of, and blush madly because of it. "Uh… y-yeah. I guess." I stutter out, feeling as my normal body functions stop momentarily as Anna scoots even closer to me, practically sitting on top of my lap. I can just gulp and stare at her wide-eyed.

"But I wouldn't be opposed to, you know, if you wanted." She continues, now so close to me I can feel her hot breath over my lips as she speaks, and have to close my eyes in order to slow my heartrate a little. This isn't exactly helping my headache.

But every single thought flies out of the window as soon as her soft lips press against mine. I let out a small helpless whimper as I feel her pour as much passion and love as she can muster in just this one kiss, and I do my best to reciprocate, going to grab her waist as she places her arms around my neck. A small part of me in the back of my mind tells me I probably shouldn't be doing this, at least _in_ _public_ , but honestly? I've been having a pretty terrible week, and I could really use some distraction in the form of my perfectly kind and beautiful girlfriend showing me some much needed affection.

Anna deepens the kiss and I moan as I taste her sweet flavor in my mouth, pulling her closer to lose myself in the sensation. Fuck Tyra. Fuck the Ice Queen, and the Northern Lands and the stupid kingdom of Arendelle. Who cares? And fuck my stupid powers too. I only care about Anna. My Anna. So willing to kiss me just like that, to give herself to me without some much as a moment of hesitation. Anna, who is now kissing me in a way I'm sure no one has ever kissed me before, eliciting sensations inside my body I have never experienced, and inciting me to explore even more.

And… how could I ever resist her? _Why_ did I ever resist her? Even if I'm not in the best physical or mental state for what I want to do, I don't care. Even right now, with my breathing becoming swallow and my heart almost bursting out of my chest, I can barely feel my previous headache or my tiredness. I'm _that_ focused on what she's giving me.

And besides, no one knows what will happen tomorrow. Tyra could attack at any time, and then we would have lost this opportunity forever. I'm tired of waiting and holding back. I just want to live in the moment and make the best I can of it.

"Anna." I say huskily against her lips, not moving even an inch away from her. "Please, I need you."

"I-I… what?!" She gasps, trying to separate from me, but I keep her firmly in my grasp, so even though now we're able to look at each other's eyes, our noses are actually touching.

"Please. I want you to be _mine_." I say in a lower, almost predatory voice, before pressing a chaste, yet passionate kiss on her mouth. When she just keeps looking at me with wide eyes and a very flushed face, I decide she needs more convincing. "You wanted us to make love at the inn in Njordfkerk. I was not ready then, but I am _now_."

"Uh… y-yeah." Anna stutters, looking at everywhere but at me. "B-but, you did have a p-point, you know? I wasn't in a right state of mind, and I'm afraid that y-you aren't either. Right now."

"Are you sure about that?" I ask, amused, as I proceed to pour open-mouthed kisses over her throat, smirking against her hot skin as she shudders and let's out a little breathless moan. I know, deep down, that these are not the best circumstances for our first time, and that I should probably listen to Anna and not continue with this madness. But then again, I've been ignoring my rational side a lot lately. And I could really use something pleasurable for a change.

"Damnit Elsa!" Anna growls against my ear. "I'm trying to be responsible here."

"Well, don't." I simply say, biting slightly at the skin of her neck, and smirking when this causes the young redhead to whimper and pull me closer to her.

"O-okay. Fine. Y-you win." She stutters. "But we're so having dinner first. You're _not_ ruining the date I planned."

"Deal." I say, and I find myself wishing this dinner would be over already. And dinner time is still a few hours away.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the delay, and the fact this is mostly just a transition chapter. But I promise next one will get more spicy (if you know that I mean *wink*). And talking about that, would you prefer an explicit sex scene, or just implied? Let me know in a review, I'm fine with either option.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading and see you soon :)**

 **And thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	29. Chapter 28

**WARNING: NSFW after the line break.**

 **Chapter 28.**

I have no idea of how I'm going to survive this evening with my sanity intact. Anna seems set on torturing me in any way she can, and dinner hasn't even been served yet! The little devil has been teasing me nonstop ever since we agreed we'd have, you know, sex. Tonight.

It's been a few hours since then, and now we're going to have dinner, but apparently not in the dining room. Nor on the roof, thankfully (at least Anna assured me that wasn't the case). Instead we're… apparently, we're going to a room that's located within the royal wing, to which I had had no access previously. It's very similar to the rest of the castle, except the Arendellian flag is displayed proudly every five feet. The doors and chandeliers also have nicer designs, and there are many portraits of ancient members of the royal family hanging from the walls here and there. However, I don't have time to appreciate them because a certain enthusiastic redhead is practically dragging me through the corridors.

When she finally stops, we're outside a double door that I've never seen before, surprisingly much more humble than the other ones in this wing; just plain white with a few floral patterns at the bottom. I look at Anna questioningly, but she just gives me a reassuring smile before pushing the doors open.

She walks inside and I follow her, taking everything in. It's a large room with a very high ceiling, a great, black, chandelier illuminated by dozens of candles hanging from it. At the center, a small table has been set, also covered in light by the candles that have been put on top of it. The food has already been served, and there's no one around, meaning we'll probably be alone for the evening.

The most prominent feature of this room, however, is that there are tens of paintings hanging from the walls, practically covering every inch of wallpaper. Some depict parties, other people from different nationalities and status, and others beautiful scenery. There are chairs and sofas scattered around the room, as if encouraging you to sit down and admire the art. At the far end of the room, there's also a big pendulum clock, reminding me the time to go to bed is fast approaching.

My heart starts racing, and I feel dizzy once more. Why did I think this was a good idea, again? I'm going to die from desire alone before this dinner ends.

"Come on." Anna says, taking my hand and leading me to the table. Once there, she pulls the chair for me and makes me sit, as she goes to a small table a few feet away, which contains a very strange artifact. It's kinda like a trumpet on top of a box. I've never seen something like that before.

"What's that?" I ask, eying her curiously as she struggles with the buttons.

"A phonograph." She answers simply, and I'm about to ask what it is for, when violin music suddenly starts playing. I look at the weird machine, and realize the music is coming from it.

"What kind of magic is this?" I stare in awe at the thing. It sounds like an orchestra, but it's just a small trumpet-thing! That's far more magical than conjuring ice out of thin air.

"Not magic, just a technology imported from America." Anna explains, coming to sit in front of me. "I don't know how it works, but apparently it records the music played by real musicians, and then is able to play it back any time you want."

"So… magic." I reiterate, making her giggle.

"I don't know about that, but I sure hope I managed to make a magic atmosphere for you, with all these candles, and the music…"

"It truly is something out of a fairytale." I answer honestly, smiling at the girl across from me. "Magic phonograph or not."

"I'm glad." She answers, beaming at the praise. "I spent all morning preparing it."

"I'm starting to think you intended to take me to bed from the very beginning." I tease her, but instead of becoming a blushing, mumbling, mess like I expected, she gives me a mischievous smile.

"Maybe."

And now _I_ am the blushing, mumbling, mess, unable to articulate a coherent phrase, and feeling like my body will spontaneously combust. Anna laughs at my reaction, but apparently decides to take pity of me and change the subject.

"Do you want to know why I brought you here, of all places?" She asks, and I nod quickly, not trusting my voice to sound like anything other than a pathetic squeak. "This room full of paintings is where I spent most of my childhood." To make her point, she looks around at said paintings, her eyes filled with both sadness and nostalgia, as her lips form a clear smile on her face.

"W-why?" I ask, though my voice is still a little high-pitched because of her earlier teasing.

"My parents were always busy, and I didn't have any siblings." She shrugs. "The paintings in this room were my only friends."

I feel a pang of pain in my chest, imagining a little redheaded princess, alone in this big, empty, castle, with no one to talk but unanimated objects that couldn't answer her. She must have felt so lonely.

"It wasn't that bad, really." She says, apparently reading my mind. "Many of these paintings are good friends of mine, like Joan! Say hi, Joan!" She turns to wave at a painting of a woman in armor, a big smile firmly on her face. "That's why I brought you here; I wanted you to meet them."

I stay silent for a moment, just looking into Anna's eyes. On the outside she seems happy, but I can see in the way her smile trembles slightly that she's trying to deny how lonely and sad those memories make her feel. But I also know what she said was true; these paintings were important for her, and she brought me here because she wanted to share that part of her life, the part that wasn't all laughter and joy, but also painful and probably boring.

I can't even begin to express how happy this makes me. How much it means to me that Anna is finally opening up about her past. So I do the first thing I can think of.

I get up, take a deep breath and start talking, addressing the paintings on the walls.

"Dear friends of Anna, is a pleasure to meet you." I start, feeling a little silly, but pushing past it for Anna's sake. "My name is Elsa, and since about a month ago, I've been courting Anna. But don't worry, I'll take good care of her for you." I pause, looking down at Anna, who is staring at me with astonishment. I give her a gentle smile, and continue talking, looking directly at her. "I will never hurt her on purpose. I will never abandon her, and I will always listen to her ramblings and help her in any way I can. With me, she'll never have to be alone again. No matter what, I'll stay by her side, because I…" I swallow, unsure if I should be saying the next words, but they still slip out of my mouth before I can think better of it. "I love her."

Anna gets up once I finish my little speech, and for a moment I'm afraid I scared her, or upset her, but all my worries fly out of the window when she crosses the distance between us and throws her arms around my neck, kissing me with more fervor and passion than ever before.

I stumble, taken aback by her actions, but I soon regain my balance and close my eyes, placing my hands at her hips, and enjoying the warm feeling that spreads quickly trough my whole body.

But sooner than I would have wanted to, she pulls away. I look into her eyes, finding only unadulterated joy, as should be. And then she giggles, gently touching my nose with hers.

"I love you too." She says, and the moment I'm able to fully process and register those words inside my head, my heart starts thumping hard against my ribs, and all I'm able to do is smile like an idiot and kiss her again, pulling her even closer to me.

But she breaks the kiss sooner than I would have liked it and gives me an apologetic smile.

"The dinner is getting cold." She explains.

I want to tell her that I don't care, that I'm not hungry, and I only want _her_ , and her alone. That I can't wait to go to bed. But… she did put a lot of effort planning this date, and it would be inconsiderate of me to just ignore it. So, reluctantly, I let go of her and return to my chair.

"What's for dinner?" I ask as I sit down. She then sits down herself and uncovers the silver tray that's at the middle of the table.

"Sandwiches."

Of course. I should have known.

* * *

We walk hand in hand towards my room. It's already dark, and the corridors are illuminated only by the lit candle Anna has on her right hand. I know I've been waiting for this, but I can't help feeling rather nervous. Anxious, even. And scared. What the hell was I thinking?! This isn't the appropriate time. We aren't married, or even engaged! It's highly inappropriate. I should just kiss Anna goodnight and hope she doesn't question me when I close the door on her face.

But… damn. I really do want this. Especially after Anna's rather romantic dinner, with just the two of us. I think she was already hoping for this outcome, and I can't go back on my words now without hurting her feelings.

Suddenly we stop, and I realize we're already standing outside my room. I pause, still unsure of what to do. But Anna, ever eager and impulsive, reaches out for the handle and opens the door, stepping in as she pulls on my hand.

As soon as we're both inside, she closes the door and pins me against it, her lips meeting mine with unprecedented fervor as her hands simultaneously press against my shoulders, keeping me in place. I try to respond to her actions as best as I can, but this whole situation has me overwhelmed, and I can barely breathe without making a conscious effort. My lungs start burning, fighting for much needed air, and I end up pushing Anna away in an attempt to regain some sort of control over my own body.

"Elsa?" She looks up at me, her eyebrows furrowed in a worried expression.

"J-just… give me a minute." I answer, inhaling and exhaling slowly in an attempt to calm down my racing heart and make the sweat on my palms and the butterflies on my stomach go away. I mean, I shouldn't be feeling so nervous! It's Anna! And we have kissed rather passionately before. It's not that big of a deal.

Except it is. It is a _very_ big deal. Which is why normal people refrain themselves from doing this before they get married. But of course I know I can't wait that long to be with Anna, and judging from her lust-filled gaze, she can't either. But I'm still not sure if now is the right time.

"Elsa, if you don't want to do it, we don't have to." Anna assures me with a tiny smile, even if it's obvious she is faking it for my sake.

"I was the one who proposed to engage in… _i-intimate_ _activities_ , remember?" I answer, trying to steel my nerves. I mean, we both want this, so why is it so difficult? Why can't I just relax and enjoy the moment?

"Yes, but you look really uncomfortable right now. And that worries me." Anna answers, taking my hands between hers and giving them a gentle squeeze for good measure. The way she looks at me is also nothing short of loving and understanding, even if there is a hint of disappointment on her voice. So I know that, even if I decide to stop things right now, Anna won't be mad at me, only slightly dejected.

But still. This is not how I want this evening to end. I want Anna more than anything. I need her. Every time we kiss I feel the urge to get even closer to her, to make her mine, to give her pleasure like no one else could. And I don't think there could ever be a better night than this one.

"It's okay. I'm just nervous." I assure her, this time squeezing her hands within mine. "But if we take this slow, I think I'll be fine."

"Sure." Anna beams at my words. "After all, I'm nervous too."

I smile at her and suddenly feel calm, despite my heart beating like it was about to come right out of my chest. I slowly inch closer towards my girlfriend, stopping before our lips can meet so I can look into her eyes and make sure she wants this as much as I do. She closes the distance between us herself, and the moment I feel her kissing me, my eyes close on their own, and I bask in the sensation of her lips on mine.

Her hands leave mine, trailing up my arms until they reach my shoulders, eliciting pleasant tingles wherever they touch. Soon enough, they descend towards my chest, hesitating only for a moment before settling on my breasts before she caresses them with care. Her fingers are tender, but persistent, and relentless in their passion. And I can't help moaning into Anna's mouth, and reaching to her back, holding her close.

She responds by tilting her head and kissing my neck instead, her tongue leaving a cool trail of saliva that makes me shudder with desire.

Almost unconsciously, I start pushing Anna back, until her legs hit my bed and she ends up sitting on it. Instantly, her hands fly towards my neck, and she kisses my lips once again, while I make quick work of the frustratingly abundant strings of her corset. She tries to do the same for me, but we soon discover that this is a far too complicated task to do while being distracted by the kisses we keep giving each other. So I turn around and allow her to get off my dress before she does the same, so now we're both in our underwear, which still covers most of our body.

Anna moves so she is now sitting more towards the center of the bed, in a silent invitation to join her. I hesitate only for a moment before going to kneel next to her, locking my eyes with hers, as if silently asking what happens now. She smiles and brings one of her arms around my neck, pulling me close until our mouths meet in a passionate kiss that ends with us falling onto the mattress, with Anna beneath me.

And I'm still nervous. I still can feel my body tingle with anxiety and fear of the unknown. But all of that is dulled by the warmth and tranquility of feeling Anna's body against mine. As I continue to gently kiss her lips, and let my body relax on top of hers, pinning her down, a wonderful sensation takes hold of my whole body. Even though all we're doing is kissing, I can't help letting out a helpless moan. Just being like this with Anna is enough to overwhelm me with a plethora of feelings.

But I still want more. So much more. Anna has always been the more _active_ one in our relationship, due to her feisty personality, but for now she appears to be content letting me take the lead; do this at my own pace. And for that, I'm grateful.

I've always wanted to kiss her neck like this, as I straddle her, taking complete control of our actions, and enjoying the feel of her heartbeat under my lips. I even dare biting her lightly, drawing a stifled moan out of her mouth. I then feel goosebumps rising on her skin as I make my way down, trailing her neck and collarbone with my tongue, and only stopping when I come across a bothersome piece of clothing.

I look up, silently asking Anna for her permission, and find her red-faced and panting heavily. She's so flustered it takes her a few seconds to nod in approval, but when she does, I immediately proceed to remove the top of her underwear, revealing her toned stomach and a pair of tiny freckled mounds. I don't have time to contemplate her though, because soon enough she removes my top too, and I shudder even though I can't feel the cold.

I fight the urge to place my hands over my chest, knowing I don't have to be self-conscious about this, not with Anna. But the way she stares at my breasts makes me feel so… _naked_. And we'll, I am naked, but there's an undeniable hunger in her eyes that just makes me realize what effect my looks have on her, and I feel weird about it.

I'm no fool, of course. I've been told I'm rather pretty by many people, and when I see myself in the mirror I have to recognize my own beauty. But no one has ever looked me the way Anna is now. Like nothing could please her more; like she wants to consume me, make me hers, like… like I'm her whole world. It's overwhelming.

But when I deviate my gaze, I'm met with something that makes my head reel even more and my blood rush to my face. Anna's body may not be as mature-looking as mine, but it is infinitely more beautiful, at least in my opinion. Her freckles really are everywhere; heavily concentrated on her shoulders, the top of her breasts, and her hips. And I want to kiss and lick and bite every one of them. Despite the climate, her skin is not pale like mine but instead tanned gently by the Arendellian summer sun and sporting a prominent blush because of our current activities.

I'm so stunned, I barely register Anna sitting up and switching our positions, pinning my hands to the mattress. I don't even have a chance to protest before she's assaulting my chest with her mouth, and all I can do then is close my eyes and moan in pleasure. Honestly, I'm not even sure I want to protest. I knew she'd take the lead sooner rather than later, after all, and I'm quite content with my current position, to be honest. How she kisses my neck, before moving to my breasts to suck, and even bite, my nipples… it makes my whole body burn in desire.

And then she pulls away, only to tug at my underwear in order to get it off my body. I gasp and even a few snowflakes appear out of thin air. This just got too real. I've never been naked in front of anyone before, at least that I remember, and that Anna's gaze keeps straying south doesn't help much. I mean, I know we're both women, and we love each other, so there's really nothing to hide, but… ah, this whole situation still has my stomach twisting.

I realize I'm blushing heavily now, and with Anna just staring at my naked form for a few seconds, I can't take it anymore. So I close my eyes and reprimand her.

"Y-you know? It's not polite to stare!"

"I'm not staring. I'm admiring you." I can hear the pout in her voice. "Besides, it's your fault for being so beautiful, and sexy and… just absolutely _perfect_."

I blush even more at her compliments, and nervously stutter out a response.

"W-well… but you… you should take off your underwear too. So I can also s-see you." I squeal the last part. Damn, this whole intimacy thing is making me more nervous I'd like to admit. But at least Anna's confident attitude helps a little.

"Oh! Sure." She says easily, and I finally open my eyes to see her quickly discarding her last piece of clothing. Now we're both truly naked. In bed. Together. My heart is pounding so hard I think I'm gonna faint, then I realize it's because I've stopped breathing, and quickly draw in a breath, willing my lungs to go back to work.

"Looks like I stunned the Snow Queen into silence." Anna says in a teasing tone as she lays her whole weight on me, pressing our torsos together and tangling our legs. It feels like almost every inch of our bodies is connected now; her natural heat battling against the cold of my magic, our noses rubbing together and our eyes connected in a loving gaze.

It's something truly magical. And Anna seems to feel it too, because when she kisses my lips again, it's not in a fervent way, like up until now, but tender and loving. She takes her time before finally daring to use her tongue, and all I can do is moan into her mouth and wrap my arms tightly around her neck, trying to pull her closer. I'm feeling enough pleasure as it is now, and I honestly wouldn't have minded at all if we stayed like this for a few more minutes, but… in that moment Anna's knee presses against my core. I don't think it was a conscious action, just like me lifting my hips in response wasn't either, but it seemed to ignite a flame inside me that wasn't quite there before.

I immediately forget all about my concerns and fears, and I simply stop thinking, instead proceeding to enjoy the moment. I don't care if my helpless moans are beyond embarrassing, or if I'm so wet now Anna's leg is no doubt getting coated in my juices. I just keep grinding against her knee, and she's more than happy to answer with little thrusts of her own. I don't know if this is the proper way, or if there's even a "proper" way for women to do this; I'm just acting on instinct by this point, wanting nothing more than to be as close to Anna as possible, both physically and emotionally.

The pleasure starts building in my lower region, and I clamp my eyes shut, overwhelmed. I can barely open them for a few seconds to look at Anna's flustered face, only to close them again despite myself. Little pathetic sounds escape my mouth, and I soon find myself saying Anna's name almost like a mantra, or a prayer, like I'm asking for something. But what? Not even I know until Anna gives it to me.

She separates slightly, now resting her weight on her hands and knees. I'm about to protest, until I feel her hand caressing lightly my thighs, gently coaxing them apart. I blush heavily when I realize her intentions, but still comply with little to no hesitance. And it's all worth it when I feel her fingers caressing my lower lips, and an explosion of pleasure like nothing I've ever felt before surges wherever her fingers touch me.

"Is this good?" Anna asks, looking at my eyes for confirmation, but all I can do is hold her gaze for a moment and nod vigorously as a whimper passes my lips. She laughs and gives me a little peck as, at the same time, one of her fingers starts teasing my entrance. "Then I'm going to continue."

"A-Anna!" I scream as her finger enters me, intensifying the pleasure even more, but she silences me with another kiss; this one longer and more passionate.

Her finger starts slowly moving in and out, each time hitting a spot that has me clutching her tightly with my hands. It all becomes even more overwhelming when her thumb touches my clit, and then starts rubbing it in circular motions, building some kind of tension inside me, at a faster pace than I've ever felt before.

Somehow through the haze of pleasure I register that currently I'm the only one getting pleasured, and I know I'd feel infinitely better if I was giving Anna the same sensation. So, with slight hesitance, but also determination, I reach out with my right hand to touch her most intimate zone.

She gasps in surprise, but doesn't stop her administrations or say anything otherwise, which I take as an open invitation to proceed. She's already wet, perhaps as much as I am, which makes me prouder than I'd like to admit, and so I don't waste any time before slipping a finger inside her.

And it's so _warm_! It feels like this contact alone has just set my entire body on fire.

She trembles slightly at my actions, stopping what she's doing for a moment to catch her breath. Worried, I look up to her, not doing anything until she indicates it's okay to go on. To my surprise, she shudders and moans as she looks into my eyes with her own lust-filled ones.

"You're cold." She whispers.

"S-sorry!" Horrified with the thought of possibly having hurt her, I'm about to remove my finger from inside her, until her voice stops me.

"No, it's okay! R-really. It feels… nice." She says in a high-pitched tone, as her cheeks turn bright red. I'm too stunned to respond right away, but when I finally register her words, I let out a small chuckle.

"Okay then. If you insist…" I answer as my magic starts slipping from my fingers more consciously. And before I know what I'm doing, I've not only added another finger inside Anna, but I have also coated them in ice and made a small cylindrical extension. I'd be worried about being too forward, but Anna's constant mewls and her content expression tell me I have done nothing wrong.

I barely register her adding another finger inside me too, and soon we're both moaning and panting heavily as we fiercely pleasure each other as best we can. Our mouths meet constantly on short, but heated, kisses that leave us breathless. Our bodies feel hot against each other, and smell like sweat because of our current activities. And the pleasure is so great, I can barely think of anything else.

Sooner than I would have wanted though, I feel my climax approaching. I try to hold back, just for a few more seconds, in order to cum at the same time as Anna, but her hands prove to be too skilled for me to combat. And so, I'm soon screaming her name as I close my eyes tightly and feel wave after wave of pleasant shocks travel trough my hole body. My legs tremble, I forget to breath for a moment, and my hands tighten their hold on Anna. And she keeps working, prolonging my climax as much as possible, until I tell her to stop.

Breathlessly, I look up at her and give her a shy smile, which she answers with a tender kiss that leaves me gasping for air. It's so different from what we were doing just seconds ago, but equally intimate and loving. I want to just get lost in it, hold Anna close to me and cuddle for the rest of the night… but I know I shouldn't be that selfish.

I continue my ministrations after taking just a short moment to calm down and regain control over my body. Anna lets out a small gasp when she feels my fingers moving inside her again, but doesn't protest, and instead just burrows her face on the crook of my neck, her hot breath tickling me every time she exhales. I'm physically exhausted already, but when I feel Anna pressing against me, moving her hips in tandem with my fingers, and hear her call my name in breathy moans, I forget about my aching muscles and heavy eyelids. All I care about is pleasing her; making her feel the way she made me feel. Making her _mine_.

With those thoughts occupying my mind, I keep stroking her, trying to reach deeper inside her and going faster, paying close attention to her moans and shudders to see what works on her best. And thanks to this, it isn't long before she collapses on top of me, moaning my name into my neck and meeting my strokes with her hips, her walls clenching my fingers and pulling me impossibly deeper inside her.

It's the most wonderful sensation in the world… well, perhaps second, only behind experiencing my own climax thanks to Anna's effort. But seeing her reaching such heights because of me is perhaps more rewarding. I feel flattered that I was able to do this to her, to such a beautiful person as Anna of Arendelle. Me. A nobody who was once Queen of the exiles. It really does feel like a miracle; as something that's too good to be true. But it is. It _is_ true. And that realization has me grinning like an idiot.

"Elsa." Anna looks up at me with love shining in her eyes, an equally happy smile on her flushed face. "That was…" A small giggle escapes her lips. " _Wow_." She breaths out, clearly still trying to catch her breath.

"Same." Is all I can muster to say as I make the ice disappear and extract my fingers from Anna, proceeding to hold her close as I caress her cheek with my other hand. It's not a surprise to find she's hot and sticky with sweat… as I am too, probably. But I don't want to get up now and take a bath. I just want to lay down and cuddle until we fall asleep, and Anna seems to have the same idea because, after giving me a soft kiss, she proceeds to lay down beside me, placing her head on my shoulder and her arm around my torso, keeping me close.

"Mmmmhm… so good." She sighs contently as she snuggles against my neck, sending a wave of affection surging trough my body.

"Agreed." I mumble, already feeling the tiredness getting to me, making my eyes want to close for the night and just rest. But I still fight it a little more as I lean to press a kiss on Anna's temple, trying to convey all the warm feelings invading my chest into this simple action.

"I love you, Anna." I mumble against her skin.

"And I love you too." She answers naturally, making my heart do a happy little dance inside my chest.

Then, when she doesn't say anything more, and instead just wiggles a little, getting comfortable for the night, I decide to close my eyes too, finally allowing sleep to take me. I mean, I don't want this wonderful night to end, and I wished we could keep doing our very pleasurable activities, but I'm also tired, and I know I wouldn't last a second round. And besides, I know Anna will be there when I wake up, and then we can continue where we left it.

But just before I lose consciousness, I hear Anna speak again, tickling my neck with the movement of her lips. Still, I question whether I only dreamt about it.

"I always have, and I always will."

* * *

 **A/N: Well, that was hot, don't you think? Also, sorry for the delay, but I'm finishing writing my thesis, so I'll be a little busy from now on. Even if it's summer brak now, because I'm going to New York to see the Frozen musical, and I don't think I'll have time to write while I'm there, so please bear with me.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading, and commenting, and for all th esupport you've shown me. I'll see you (hopefully) soon.**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	30. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29.**

" _You can't run from this, Elsa!" I hear Tyra's voice as I struggle to make it through her storm. But I can't see anything, and my legs are trembling so much I can barely keep standing faced with this wind._

" _Y-you traitor." Is all I manage to say before yet another blast of icy wind throws me off my feet and sends me tumbling to the ground._

" _Traitor? You were the one who decided to protect the Arendellians instead of_ your _people!" A block of ice hits my stomach, knocking me down just as I was trying to get up. I can only whimper in pain as the air is knocked out of my lungs. "What? Is that all you got? Come on, Queen Elsa, show me what the most powerful ice wielder in the world can do!"_

 _With a desperate cry, I unleash a blast of raw power in her general direction, hoping to at least hurt her enough to neutralize the threat. But I've already wasted too much magic. If only I had had all of it before this fight started! And before I know it, the last drop of magic leaves my body. And instantly, I feel the cold. I feel it biting into my skin, burning me until I'm shivering helplessly on the ground, trying to retain what little heat I still have. But it's gone with my magic, and with it all the strength I had._

 _The storm finally clears up, and I see two figures standing just a few feet away from me. One is Tyra, regarding me with a cold stare. The other one is Hans._

* * *

It's been a week since my very first night spent with Anna… in which we did something other than sleep, that is. And what a wonderful week! We've both been happier than normal, more relaxed, and even with more energy, despite the rather strenuous activities we've been partaking in at every opportunity. Thankfully no one really knows what we've done, though Anna says Kristoff suspects it, and Gerda does too, I'm sure. But I guess we can trust them not to tell anyone.

But this little change has also brought another change: I stopped moping and, instead, started thinking up a plan for saving both my new and old homes. A way to fight the Ice Queen. I have to at least try it… and run away with Anna in the worst case scenario. But I really should stay positive. For now. Even though today I have to present my plan to the council, and I'm sure they won't like it at all.

"You really should have worn a dress with a higher neck." Kristoff says as we stop in front of the door.

"Why is that?" I ask confused. He's never been one to criticize my choice of clothing, after all.

"Love bite." He smirks, making me flush instantly, panicking that I forgot to cover up such a thing. My hand shoots up instinctively to touch the spot where Anna kissed me last night… and I feel the fabric of my dress. That's right! Most of my dresses have a high neck, so…

"K-Kristoff!" I chastise him, but my voice cracks and I'm sure my face is now as red as Anna's hair. He just laughs.

"Sorry. I had to tease you at least once, knowing what you've been doing with the Queen." He smirks, but I just pout and shake my head.

"It's not what you think." I mumble as I feel heat reaching the tips of my ears.

"Are you sure about that?" He says amused, but before I have a chance to reply, he opens the door and gestures for me to get in. "Come on, let's not keep them waiting."

I shoot him my best glare, promising myself to freeze his tea later (does he even drink tea?), or take revenge otherwise, before stepping into the room.

As expected, most of the councilmen are already in there, as well as Anna, and we only have to wait a couple of minutes longer before the ones that were missing finally arrive. Unfortunately, since there are observing eyes, I'll have to wait to greet Anna properly, so for now we have to settle for a formal greeting and holding hands under the table.

By the sweat and shaking of her palm under mine, I can tell she's nervous, but since I'll be doing most of the talking, that's not as worrying as could be, given Anna's tendency to ramble and forget about what she was planning to say when she's nervous. Except I'm nervous too. I wished I had had more time to prepare what I'm going to say, because as things are, I couldn't even go through every argument with Anna… but I guess there's nothing that can really be done about it. Considering what happened at Njordfkerk, this little meeting couldn't have waited any longer.

"Good morning, gentlemen." I speak, immediately extinguishing any conversations they were having within each other and drawing their attention to Anna and me. With that done, I turn to look at the Queen and squeeze her hand, cuing her to speak. She shoots me a slightly afraid glance before coughing a bit in order to make time and regain her composure.

"Uhm… yeah. Good morning." Anna says awkwardly. I fight the urge to face palm myself. That's not how a Queen should act with her council, Anna! "Uh… well… as you know, the reason for our current meeting is to discuss what happened when we sent Elsa to the Northern Lands." I feel her grip tightening in my palm as she speaks, but thankfully she doesn't stutter so much. "As she was there, I think it's best if she fills you in with the details and addresses your concerns." She concludes, looking at me with an apologetic expression, even though we had agreed to this beforehand. So I give her a reassuring smile and a last squeeze of her hand before getting up from my seat and preparing myself for what I'm about to say.

"As I'm sure you are aware, our attempt to speak peacefully to the Queen to the Northern Lands didn't go as planned." I begin, getting that out of the way first. "Upon arriving at the wall, a guard gave us a warning before a giant monster made of ice and snow appeared out of nowhere and attacked us, killing most of the soldiers who were with me that day, and injuring both my personal guard and I." I pause, taking a deep breath and preparing myself for what I'm about to say next.

"Given that we didn't make a move to initiate any hostilities, and that the monster then proceeded to follow us and attack innocent people at the town of Njordfkerk, I have to conclude that…" I feel a nasty feeling at the pit of my stomach, but push past it with little more than a fleeting grimace. "That the current Queen of the Northern Lands is, indeed, hostile."

"See? I told you. Those Northerners are nasty and dangerous! You should have listened to us before." One of the councilmen says, addressing Anna.

"Your father knew it well enough, as well as the General." Another one agrees.

"You punished him unjustly." Yet another councilman chimes in.

"Enough!" I say, effectively silencing them (for now). Though they keep glaring at me. "I said that the current Queen is hostile, but it wasn't always that way." I glare back at them. "I am the legitimate Queen of the Northern Lands; the current one is nothing more than a petty usurper."

"How dare you?" Sir Barius speaks, trembling from anger as he rises from his seat. "There is no other Queen than Queen Anna of Arendelle! Saying otherwise is treason, and punishable by death!"

I realize my mistake too late. I'm too accustomed to thinking of the Northern Lands as a separate territory. As the other men in the room also start to speak their opinion and demand my death, I shoot Anna a panicked glance, but she just shakes her head to indicate she doesn't know what to do either. We have to calm them down before this gets out of control!

"If she really is the Ice Queen, the more reason to kill her!"

"We shouldn't be harboring enemies within our doors, much less let them court our beloved Queen!"

"Queen Anna, you must put an end to this affair once and for all! Kill this traitor and crush the Northern Lands!"

As the voices raise in intensity, so does my permanent headache, and I end up sitting down again and placing my head between my palms, trying to calm myself down. But it's no use when they are all shouting, demanding I'm to be executed. And all because of a little mistake. Stupid, stupid Elsa!

"Silence!" I hear Anna's voice raise above all, effectively shutting them up. I look at her and see she's gotten up from her seat, while the others are slowly sitting down again, faced with her intense glare. "I'm sick of all this nonsense!" She yells, all previous shyness or nervousness long since gone. "If I ever hear anyone saying something about killing Elsa ever again, for any reason at all, there'll be hell to pay!"

"But… Your Majesty…" A councilman weakly tries to protest. Fatal mistake. Now Anna's glare is pointed solely at him.

"Elsa is my beloved!" She snarls. "No one is more concerned about my security and the kingdom's than her! And I will _not_ tolerate any show of disrespect towards her, am I clear?"

"She did say she's the Queen of a territory that legitimately belongs to Arendelle. That's a direct challenge to your authority." Lord Aaron says rather calmly, even when Anna is shooting daggers at him with her eyes.

"I assure you that wasn't my intention. I'm sorry." I say, more for their sake than for Anna's; I know she doesn't mind.

"It was a mistake, and I forgive you for that." She answers easily. "What is important now is that Elsa was once a leader to the Northerners, and that her position has now been usurped by a powerful, and hostile, ice-wielder."

"Exactly!" I say, getting up and taking the reins of the conversation once more. "And when I was Qu…" I stop, least I anger them again. "Uhm… their admittedly illegitimate, but elected, leader." I correct. "I did everything I could to maintain the peace between Arendelle and the Northern Lands."

"But now a woman named Tyra has taken the title of Ice Queen, and wants nothing more than to start a war with Arendelle and kill the royal family." Anna adds.

"If there's a threat of war, we should recruit more soldiers." The new General (Lord Frederik, was it?) speaks for the first time today. "Queen Anna, an order must be issued with immediate effect for all men over fourteen to enlist to the army!"

"I agree." I say. I've discussed it with Anna before, after all. I know she doesn't like it, but it's a necessary precaution if we want to protect our kingdom. "However, even that won't be enough. Let's not forget that we are dealing with very powerful magic here."

"What do you propose, then?" Lord Aaron questions, eying at me with distrust but genuine curiosity. As expected.

"The only way to fight magic is with magic itself." I explain. "I… well, _we_ , Queen Anna and I, propose that we recruit all ice-wielders still living in Arendelle to help with this affair."

"There are no more ice-wielders! They were all exiled." Sir Barius says.

"However, I'm sure it's possible at least a handful of them managed to remain hidden within the kingdom. If we promise to revoke the laws imposed by the late king if they help us bring down the ice-queen, I'm positive they'll show themselves." I explain our crazy plan, trying to sound more confident that I really am. Anna was the one to come up with it; I only planned on offering Henrik, the ice-wielder bandit, the royal pardon if he helped us, but Anna insisted we will need more magic users then him on our side. And I had to agree.

"It's worth a try." Anna says. "And it would show everyone, yourselves included, that ice-wielders aren't monsters, but good, honest, people who care about Arendelle as much as we do."

"And yet you agree about going to war against them." Lord Sigvar notes, wearing a sinister smirk on his face.

"As much as I don't like the idea, for what Elsa has told me it seems like war is unavoidable." Anna says with a grimace. "And I doubt we have much time to prepare; it's already been almost a year since the new Ice Queen took the throne."

"Why wouldn't the Ice Queen have attacked, then? If she really wants to invade Arendelle." Lord Frederik questions, reasonably. I have also been thinking about it, and fortunately have a hypothesis ready to share.

"I believe she's waiting for winter." I say. "In a cold environment we don't need to use as much magic to create ice and snow."

"I see." He hums, deep in thought, probably already planning a strategy. "But then… we only have about four months to prepare! Fall has just arrived, after all."

"Indeed." I frown in concern. "Which is why we should begin with the preparations right away."

"We need to fortify our defenses if we want to save as many lives as possible." Anna adds.

"In that case, wouldn't it be best to attack first?" Sir Barius speaks.

"Attacking the Northern Lands, where it's winter all year round. Yes, sounds like a great plan." I roll my eyes. I didn't intend to sound so sarcastic, but really, Sir Barius is just the worst. After the old General.

"In any case, even with all of Arendelle's army, and with the support of our allies, and with ice-wielders on our side… none of that will be enough if we go to war against the Ice Queen." I say. Immediately, Anna (as well as everyone else) turns to look at me with concern. I didn't talk to her about this. "Yes, it'll be useful when the time comes, but an invasion is imminent unless we get rid of our greatest threat so far; the Ice Queen." I pause, closing my eyes and reliving my dream from last night.

"I've seen what she can do, the amount of magic she has and the control she has over it… it's something truly terrifying." I shudder. "Even I could do nothing against her except try and escape with my life."

"Which is why…" I continue, opening my eyes and looking at them as my heart starts racing like I'm running a marathon. What I'm about to propose is practically suicide, but… it's the only way to keep Anna _truly_ safe. So it doesn't matter. Plus, there's a tiny chance I'll be able to return safely. "I want to go to the Northern Lands before the fall comes to an end." Anna is already opening up her mouth to protest, but I raise my hand to request silence.

"Preferably, I'd be accompanied by the other ice-wielders that join our cause, just in case something goes wrong and we need to make a hasty retreat." I continue. "In the best case scenario we'd be able to sneak into the Ice Queen's palace and… kill her in her sleep."

"What?! Elsa, wouldn't that just make things worse? The Northerners would be furious if we kill their Queen in such a dishonorable way." Anna predictably protests.

"And yet they would be no match for me." Hopefully. I think. "Plus, _Tyra_ is the usurper, so they should be loyal to me once she's dead."

"Still, it's too dangerous. I can't risk it." The Queen remains stubborn. As expected. "And it's vile to kill someone when they're defenseless. I can't allow you to commit such an… _evil_ action!"

"But it sounds like it's our best chance. If this Ice Queen is really as dangerous as Miss Elsa here says." Lord Sigvar agrees readily.

"Plus, it would save a lot of lives if we could avoid going to war." Lord Aaron speaks.

"Only ice-wilder's lives would be endangered, so I don't have any objections." Sir Barius also expresses his opinion.

"I guess I could train the ice-wielders in the art of combat. In case they encounter any trouble." Lord Frederick also says.

And so, one by one, all the councilmen start agreeing to my crazy plan. Just as I hoped they would. They do seem to have a tendency to agree putting my life into danger, after all, going by our previous meeting. But anyways, if they are this willing to give my plan a chance, I do have something I'd like to add.

"I'm glad you are supportive of my plan. However, there's something I'd like to address before we come to a decision." I smirk. They won't like this. But they have no choice. "If I do succeed in killing the Ice Queen and regaining my position as leader of the Northerners, I want Arendelle to give up the Northern Lands, for good, name me the legitimate Queen of said territory, and abolish the laws regarding Northerners imposed by the late king."

"That's preposterous!" One of the councilmen tries to protest, but I cut him off.

"I believe it's a reasonable request to make if I am to endanger my life in order to save a kingdom that has done nothing but punish me, and other people with magic, merely for being different." I practically snarl, but then pause in order to speak more civilly for the next part. "In return, I promise to never make a move against Arendelle once I'm Queen, and remain as the most loyal of your allies. I'll even marry Queen Anna, if she accepts, if that'll help ease your concerns."

Silence reigns for a few moments, as the councilmen shoot glances at each other, clearly not knowing what to say about my request. They know of what happened in Njordfkerk. They know that if I hadn't been there, the monster would have killed everyone in town. And they know the Ice Queen could make more monsters like that. I'm their only hope. But they _really_ don't want to agree with my, admittedly, high demands.

"Your request is… fair enough, I guess. Considering you're planning to single-handedly save our whole kingdom from destruction." Anna says with a grimace. "And I would be more than willing to grant it, but… " She sighs. "I don't like your plan. And I won't agree to anything that involves putting your life at risk."

"Then that's all the more reason you have to agree with me." I answer. "I've thought this through. A lot. And I swear this is our best, possibly only, chance to survive."

"I don't want to hear any more of this nonsense!" Anna says, her expression turning hurt and angry. "I don't want to hear you saying that you want to kill someone in their sleep, or that you'll endanger your life to save ours, understood?"

"But Anna…"

"Queen Anna." She corrects me for the first time since I meet her. My jaw tenses in anger. So this is how things will be?

"Fine. _Queen_ Anna." I stress her title, not liking how formal it sounds. "I know my request is sudden, and I know you don't like it, but you have to at least consider it. Think of all the lives that'll be saved if I succeed!"

"Not even the entire kingdom is worth putting your life at risk!" She yells back.

"I'd die a thousand times if it means keeping you safe!" I respond, feeling as the ice starts spreading from under my feet, earning a few scared yelps from the councilmen, but being unable to stop it.

"I don't want you to die even _one_ time just to protect me!" She argues, breathing heavily and having her face turn red because of how angry she is. "We'll make it do with just our army and a handful of ice-wielders."

"No, you won't!" I exclaim, getting more and more frustrated with each word that comes out of her mouth.

"Enough!" She yells, startling me and everyone else in the room. "This is the end of the conversation. We'll speak on another occasion." And with that, she storms out of the room, not even glancing back at me.

Well… that didn't go as planned. At all.

* * *

"I just don't know what else to do, Kristoff. Please, I didn't even see her at lunch, or dinner." I give an exasperated sigh. "I know you said I should give her some space, but this is a little too much, you have to take me to where she is!" I practically plead, much to the discomfort of my guard, who looks a bit awkward.

"Look, Elsa, I really shouldn't get involved in your fights." He answers. "I'm sure she'll talk to you. Eventually."

"But it's not like Anna to stay mad for this long!" I argue.

"I know, but…"

"Please, just tell me where she is. I promise I won't tell her it was you." I give him my best pleading expression, and thankfully he seems to deflate slightly. At the end he rubs his temple and sighs.

"You won't stop pestering me until I tell you, will you?"

"No." I answer with a determined expression, crossing my arms over my chest.

" _Fine_." He glares at me. "She's at her room. Follow me."

"Thank you." I try not to smile too smugly, but by the roll of his eyes, I'd say I don't succeed. Oh well, I'm sure he's used to it by now. And at least he will take me to Anna.

It's not very long before we arrive to the Royal Wing. I've only been here a couple of times before, and in both occasions I didn't have the time to appreciate it… and now I don't have the concentration to do so, being too preoccupied with what I'll say and _how_ I'll say it. It is of vital importance if I'm to appease Anna's anger.

Sooner than I would have liked it, we stop in front of a white double door with floral patterns painted on it.

"Here it is." Kristoff says. "Now, I'll take my leave before Anna bits my head off for bringing you here." And with that, he's gone. Thank god. I wouldn't want him to overhear the (probably) loud argument that's about to happen.

Taking a deep breath, I try to steady my sweaty palms and upset stomach before I knock on the door.

"Come in!" I hear Anna's voice from the inside. I know she's probably expecting one of the maids, but I still take the invitation to enter. However, as soon as I step inside the room, Anna's eyes widen and she struggles trying to get out of bed, entangling herself within the covers in the process.

"Elsa! What a… s-surprise." She giggles nervously, grabbing the candelabra that's resting on her night table, but just as her hand reaches it she trips on the covers still tangled around most of her body, and ends up falling and dropping the candelabra over the rug… which immediately catches fire.

"Anna!" I scream in panic, instinctively releasing a pulse of magic that covers most of her room in snow, effectively extinguishing the accidental fire she started and leaving us in almost complete darkness, except for the moonlight entering from her window.

"That… wasn't intentional." Anna says, popping her head out of the snow and shaking it to get the white powder off. "Oops." She giggles.

"Anna, you have to be more careful!" I chastise her as I go help her get out from under the snow and the covers that made her trip in the first place.

"Look who's talking." She rolls her eyes. "The one who wants to go in a suicidal mission to the Northern Lands."

"Anna, I really think it's our best option to…" I start, but she cuts me off.

"No, you know what? Forget it. I was hoping that not talking to you for the rest of the day would be enough to make you reconsider, but apparently not." She pushes me away and goes sit at the edge of her bed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Did you really came all the way over here, despite not knowing where my room is, just to have this argument again?"

"Anna, please, you have to at least listen to me." I give her my best pleading eyes, going to kneel in front of her. "Please, I don't want this discussion to make a gap between us."

"Yeah… me neither." She agrees with a grimace. "And… I guess I can promise I'll consider your proposal, even if I really don't like it. Sounds good?"

"More than good." I smile as I take her hands and place a small peck on her lips.

"Ugh. I hate when you do that." She says, but since she's smiling, I relax.

"Kiss you?"

"No. Make all my concerns and doubts go away with just being you." She answers, giving me the most tender of smiles. And of course, that just makes me want to kiss her again. And then she kisses me back. And then I kiss her, and… somehow we end up on her bed, panting heavily and blushing like a pair of helpless tomatoes as desire overcomes any lingering animosity there might had been between us.

"Can I stay for the night?" I ask while placing kisses on her neck. She stiffens at my words, and for a moment I worry I said something wrong. "It's okay if you don't want to. After our discussion today…"

"It's not that." She cuts me off. "I-it's just…" She sighs. "You'll have to get up before down. We wouldn't want anyone to find out you spent the night with me."

"I see…" I hum as I think about what she just said. It's an inconvenience, but one that I'm willing to overcome if I want to be with Anna. "Then I shall be gone before the sun rises." I smile at her. "But just as a precaution…"

I point my hand towards the door and release a burst of magic, effectively freezing it closed. That way, even if someone came to wake up the Queen before I get up, they wouldn't find us in a compromising position.

Once that's taken care of, I turn my attention back to the love of my life, preparing myself for a night of passionate love making. I can't say I wasn't hoping the night would end like this, but honestly? I _really_ wasn't expecting it. I sure am glad Anna isn't so mad at me anymore though. Let's just hope her good mood stays with her until morning.

* * *

 **A/N: So... I know it's been a while, but life's gotten in the way, so please bear with me. I'm really trying to update as soon as I can, so I'll be proritizing this fic over the others I'm writing, which means you should get at least one update per month. Hopefully.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading and for all the support you've given me so far; it really does wonders to keep me writing even when I'm too tired to do so XD. And please don't hesitate to leave a review, I love reading what you think!**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	31. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30.**

I wake up as I feel the first rays of sunlight filtering through my eyelids and warming up my skin. I shift a little, still not opening my eyes, and feel a naked body pressed against mine, as well as more than a few strands of hair ticking my nose and neck. I sigh in contentment, enjoying the feeling for just a few moments more. The rhythmic rise and fall of her chest, the soft snores that come out of her mouth, the comforting warmth radiating off her skin… I really wished I could wake up like this every morning, for the rest of our lives.

But then again, that won't happen unless I somehow convince her to accept my almost-suicidal plan. Which, let's be honest, will be very difficult. Maybe I shouldn't have told her about the true extent of the Ice Queen's powers. But then again, keeping that sort of information from the monarch can be rather dangerous.

I shudder, remembering Tyra's cold eyes, staring down at me with cruelty, determined to end my life… And yet she didn't. Why? That's a disturbing question, and one that I still don't have an answer for. Maybe someone came to my rescue and helped me escape. Maybe she hesitated long enough for me to run away. Or maybe she let me go because she has other (more malevolent) plans for me.

Shifting uncomfortably, I sit up, finding that the big and luxurious bed isn't enough for me to stop feeling restless, and that even Anna's body heat isn't enough to combat the ice creeping into my heart. But that's okay. I should go now anyways; wouldn't want anyone to find me naked in bed with the _Queen_ , after all.

But a glance at the clock tells me it's still early, and so I take my time dressing, hoping Anna will wake up soon so I can give her a good morning kiss before we part ways for our daily routine. As I dress, I take the time to appreciate Anna's room, since yesterday I couldn't because it was dark (and because I had more _interesting_ things to admire).

The window is triangular, as with most in this castle, and it lets in a good amount of light, even this early in the morning, which makes me wonder how Anna still hasn't woken up. The wallpaper is pink with lilac floral designs, resembling Arendelle's crocus. Her bed is white, with Arendelle's sigil painted in bright colors, but the sheets and covers are a bright pink. She also has a wooden floor and there are a couple of carpets with intricate designs laying on the ground. The furniture is carved in elaborate shapes, with the nightstand and the vanity even having golden incrustations on the drawers' handles. All in all, everything looks _really_ expensive, including the vase of flowers and the tea set. Even more so than the stuff I have in my room. Truly fit for a Queen.

I wished Anna had brought me here sooner. It's really beautiful.

I sit down in front of the vanity in order to get my hair done, since Anna left it a mess last night, but as I start braiding it, I notice in the mirror something rather interesting. It's a portrait, hanging from the wall next to Anna's bed. And not just any portrait; it's a portrait depicting the royal family of Arendelle: a very young-looking Anna, perhaps six or seven years old, and her parents.

And just now I realize that I haven't really seen a picture of them. Like, _ever_. Seriously, why are there no paintings of them in this castle? Or maybe there are, but in the royal wing… which I haven't had access to before.

The curiosity takes the best of me, and I carefully approach to the work of art in question, taking care to not make any noise so I don't wake up Anna. Why? I don't know, I feel like I'm somehow invading her privacy. Which is ridiculous, I know, it's not like I'm not allowed to see this portrait, but still. I just have this weird sensation at the pit of my stomach.

I first fix my eyes on the small version of Anna, since she's always the first thing I notice, no matter the context. She looks cute, with that big goofy smile so characteristic of her, and her round cheeks that I'd love to pinch, and those pigtails… wait. Pigtails? Haven't I seen her like this before? Wasn't it during a dream, just after Rapunzel's goodbye ball? Weird. How could I have imagined her so accurately? Maybe I saw her before I was exiled. It wouldn't be that farfetched; she was the princess, after all.

Then I look at her father. A rather imposing figure standing proudly next to his wife and daughter. He's tall, with a healthy complexion, wearing a blue military suit and a few medals. He has copper hair and a well-trimmed mustache, and is wearing a big golden crown on his head. His expression is… strict, and serious, even in this picture. Really, this is just how I imagined the former king. And there's also the sensation I'd seen him before, but I don't dwell too much on it; just staring at his face for more than two seconds is making me anxious for some reason. And angry. And sad.

I guess there are too many negative things associated with the late king on my mind.

My eyes then wander to Anna's mother, who is holding Anna as she sits on her lap. She also looks… familiar. Like, _way_ too familiar. Her features are soft and delicate, her gentle smile doesn't quite reach her sad eyes, her skin is pale, her eyes are blue, and her body completion is quite similar to mine. Actually, staring at this portrait, I realize Anna's mother looks almost like a carbon copy of me, only with brown hair.

A chill runs down my spine at the thought, as I finally recognize the woman in the portrait.

Mom.

Just that single word, thought inside my head, is enough for my head to start spinning to the point I think I'll faint. I wished I could deny it, say it must be just my mind playing tricks on me, but it's unmistakable. Now that I see her, I remember.

I remember how she'd hug me close when I was scared or stressed. I remember how she'd sing and read stories to me when I couldn't sleep. I remember her bringing me chocolates when I was feeling down. I remember her laughing with me, playing with me, and… with Anna. My sister.

My _sister_. My _SISTER_.

Suddenly, I feel something rising inside my throat, burning it. Like I'm about to throw up.

Because yes. Just last night, I made love with my sister. I _made love_ to her. In this bed. Next to a portrait of our parents.

Oh, god!

Horrified, I run out of the room. I don't think I'll be able to face Anna right now, or _ever_ , for that matter. What can I even say to her? "Hey, guess what? We're sisters, so remember all the times we kissed, and cuddled and had sex? Well, let's just forget those happened, and have a normal sisterly relationship!"

Yeah, I don't think so.

But I don't think I could kiss her again either. Heck I don't think I could even _hold her hand_ without feeling guilty and freaking out.

But how am I going to tell her? Would she even believe me? What if she thinks I want her throne? I mean, technically _I_ am the legitimate Queen.

Plus, I don't want her to feel this. This pain, this horror, this devastation and repulsion that feels like it's eating me alive. It's consuming my entrails, like a raging fire expanding slowly, agonizingly, from my chest and towards my limbs, leaving my whole body feeling numb, and empty, but in pain at the same time. It's a darkness that clouds my mind and threatens to consume my consciousness.

I don't even know where I'm going. Even when I blast open a door and freeze it closed behind me, only to drop down and hug my legs closely as I sob.

When did I even start to cry? When did it start to snow? When did everything turn white? And why does this room look so… familiar? Have I… been in this situation before? Curled up in the ground, consumed by feelings of sorrow and despair, freezing everything around me against my will…

Yes. Yes, I remember. I remember that night, how could I forget it? Even with everything I have endured since then, it was still the worst night of my entire life.

* * *

 _I'm sobbing so hard my whole body trembles. I'm hugging my legs like I'm trying to keep myself from falling apart. I don't think I'm even breathing at this point, and I feel like I'll faint at any second._

 _But I don't even care. Because the person I love most in the world could die. Maybe she's already dead. And it's all my fault._

 _I can't stop replaying that moment in my head. When Anna jumped, I panicked, tried to stop her, and then… when my ice struck her head and she fell unconscious. When her hair turned white, her skin sickly pale, and her lips purple with cold._

 _I will also never forget the horrified faces of my parents. Their scared eyes. The trembling on my mother's lips as she held Anna and noticed she was ice cold. How my father could barely bare to look at me._

 _I'm a monster. All ice-wielders are. I didn't want to believe it, despite everyone else being so sure about it. I knew they had reasons to think like that, but I never… I thought I wasn't like them. I didn't want to_ believe _I was like them. I wanted to think I was good, that my magic was really the beautiful miracle Anna always saw it as. But no. I'm a monster._

 _Now I'll probably be exiled… or executed._

 _Suddenly, I hear the lock turning and quickly get up, backing away from the door as I look wearily at it, wondering who it is. Most likely mom or dad, since almost no one else knows of my existence anyways. Maybe they'll tell me how Anna is doing, maybe there are good news! Or… maybe papa is here to take me to the Northern Lands._

 _The door finally opens and father walks in, wearing a sad and tired expression, probably resembling my own._

" _Elsa." He tries to give me a reassuring smile, but it ends up looking like a grimace. I just look expectantly at him, trying to calm down my sobs as I wait for his next words. "Anna is… well…" He hesitates, obviously not wanting to give me the bad news yet, but the expression on his face says it all. "She's still unconscious." I just nod sadly in acknowledgement before wiping the tears from my eyes. I had figured out as much._

 _He then falls silent as he starts looking around my room and finds it resembling a frozen wasteland. Frost crawls everywhere on the walls and ceiling, the freshly-fallen snow has covered pretty much all the floor and furniture, and the temperature is so low he's visibly shivering and his breath comes out in white clouds of mist_

" _How did it happen?" He asks, a flash of fear appearing in his eyes._

" _I-I…" I'm interrupted by a hiccup, but I try to regain my composure long enough to respond. "Anna came, she wanted to build a snowman." I sigh, already knowing what papa will say. I shouldn't use my powers._ Ever _. And now I see why. "We started playing, and then…" I sob, reminiscing again the traumatic event. "I'm sorry, papa. It was an accident!"_

" _You struck her head with your powers, didn't you?" He asks, sounding disappointed more than angry. It still hurts deeply to hear the accusation._

" _Y-yes." I whimper, closing my eyes as I can't bear looking at his eyes after what I did. "T-then her hair turned white a-and…" I'm interrupted by my sobs once again, feeling the despair growing inside of me. Fearing papa will hate me now. That mom will too. That Anna will be afraid of me… if she even wakes up._

" _I see." He sighs. "Elsa, I don't believe I need to remind you why what you did was wrong." He says, his tone of voice turning strict. "You shall remain alone in here until the situation is solved. I don't think it's safe for you to be near anyone else right now."_

 _When he exits the room and closes the door, I collapse to my knees and continue crying. I know he's right, I know I'm dangerous now more than ever, as I unwillingly create a blizzard inside my room. Yet, as I keep sobbing, lying in the snow in a fetal position, I wish he, or mom, or_ someone _, was here with me._

* * *

" _Elsa. Elsa, wake up." I hear papa's voice calling me as I stir awake. It's been days since the incident with Anna, and in all that time, I've remained inside my room. Alone. Not that I'm not already used to it, but normally mom, or dad, or Gerda would visit. And Anna would spend the afternoon with me, telling me all she did during the day and asking to play with me._

" _Papa?" I ask as I look around and notice it's still dark outside. Yet papa is dressed up like a royal guard, with a cloak covering most of his face._

" _Come on, get dressed. We need to go." He answers._

" _Where?" I ask, confused._

" _Obey." It's his sole response as he turns around to go make guard by the door. And of course he's the king, and my father, and I have no choice but to do what he says and swallow the tons of questions that still plague my mind._

 _Once I've put on the clothes he left for me in my bed (just a humble blue dress, too simple to be worn by proper royalty), he leads me out of my room and around the palace. It's weird. Even if it is my home, I've never truly been able to see much of it, and now, in the middle of the night, it's more foreign to me than ever._

 _By now I have no doubt where he's taking me. I've always known this moment would come sooner rather than later, but it still hurts, and frost starts appearing under my shoes._

 _Soon we get to the stables and we both mount papa's horse, before we're off galloping at maximum speed. Going north._

 _Maybe I should be relishing on the first time I've seen the outside world. The first time I've felt the breeze hitting my face as I actually ride a horse. The first time seeing the vast fjord of Arendelle from somewhere other than my room's window. But I have too many questions._

" _How's Anna?" I ask, trying to turn around to look at my father, but even then the cloak obscures his features._

" _She woke up." Is all he says. I would jump from happiness and excitement if he didn't have such a somber tone of voice._

" _And?" I press._

" _She… lost her memory." He admits after a pause, sounding rather defeated. I wince as I feel a metaphorical stab of my heart. I did that to her? She doesn't remember me? "That's why…" He pauses, unwilling to finish that thought. Yet, I can easily deduce what he wanted to say. That's why we're here now. That's why he's exiling me._

 _I stay silent after that. I want to ask too many things, to beg for him not to exile me. To ask to at least see mom once again, to be able to say goodbye to Anna. But I know I'm in no position to say anything. I'm but an ice-wielder child that almost killed the crowned princess of Arendelle, and made her lose her memory in the process. The only reason he's not executing me is because I'm his daughter. I should be grateful. I shouldn't be crying desperately. I shouldn't be making it snow._

* * *

 _A few hours pass, and I fall in and out of sleep, too tired because of how much I've cried to stay awake. When we finally stop, we are in a somewhat snowy valley surrounded by tall trees that look dark in the moonless night. The lack of light isn't helping much, but I can still see a man waiting for us, dressed in full-body armor, but wearing a thick cloak over his shoulders. He's tall and broad, with a grey beard and an unfriendly expression._

" _Your majesty." He bows._

" _General. You got my letter." Papa answers as he descends from the horse, leaving me sitting alone on the saddle. "No one else knows about this, right?"_

" _Of course. And I swear on my honor that I won't tell a soul." The man responds, looking briefly at me._

" _Good." Papa then turns around and takes me in his arms, helping me get off the horse. I'm too scared to even say a word. I don't see the wall anywhere nearby, so maybe… no, he wouldn't do that, right? I glance nervously at the old man's sword._

" _Elsa." Papa's hand comes to rest on my shoulder as he kneels in front of me. From what little I can discern from his face, I'd say he looks rather apologetic. "I… I'm sorry." His voice cracks a little. "I wished it hadn't come to this, but… it's for the best, I promise." He then hugs me, but I'm too stunned to react beyond leaning into the warmth this rare show of affection brings me. "I wish… " He gulps, sounding like he's at the verge of tears. "I wish someday you can forgive me."_

" _P-papa?" Is all I'm able to stutter out through the lump on my throat._

" _I'm sorry." He repeats, pulling me closer and holding me there for a second as sobs start shaking his body. I don't even know how to react. Papa is crying! He's always so strong, and strict, and collected, and… I don't think my mind can fully process the fact that he is, indeed, crying as he hugs me._

" _Your majesty, we must hurry. It's not safe here." The other man calls him, effectively making papa let go of me._

" _I know." He says in a strangled voice before getting up and taking a step away from me, assuming a stoic position. "Please, do what you must."_

 _The man nods and comes to take my hand before starting to walk away, dragging me along. I think that's when it finally hits me what's happening. I was in shock until now, but… I'm truly getting exiled! I'm being sent to a land full of dangerous people with evil powers. I'm never going to see papa, or mama, or Anna ever again!_

" _Papa!" I call to him, crying torrents and fighting against the grip of the soldier that's dragging me away from him, but he remains still, just watching me being taken away. The pain on my chest intensifies greatly at this, and I fight harder, struggling to return to him. "Papa, please! Don't leave me!" I plead once more, but he doesn't move._

" _I'm sorry." He says, and it sounds like he's crying too. "Goodbye, Elsa."_

" _Papa!" I scream once again, ice bursting from my fingertips in an attempt to get away from my captor. But then I feel a strong pain in the side of my head, and I start to lose consciousness. I fight against the darkness, yet it still consumes me against my will. The last thing I see before passing out, is papa wiping his tears as he turns around and leaves me behind._

* * *

"Elsa? Elsa!" Anna's voice pulls me out of my traumatic memories, as well as the banging on the door I'm leaning in. "Elsa, are you okay?! It's freezing out here."

The worried tone of her voice compels me to respond, even when she's the last person I want to deal with right now.

"I'm fine. Just a memory." I answer between hiccups and sobs. "G-go. I need to be a-alone."

"You have a girlfriend. You're never going to be alone!"

"Please, Anna." I sigh, hugging my legs closer.

"Being alone won't help you thawing the ice! We've been over this!" She answers, stubborn as always. "Come on, just…"

"No!" I answer, more loudly than intended, a blast of ice unintentionally shooting out of my hands and covering the walls in even more frost. "I just…"

But before I can finish what I'm saying, a loud bang shakes the door, like Anna is trying to open the door by kicking it. Scared, I get up and back away from it.

"Anna? What are you doing?" I panic.

"You're being too stubborn!" Is her sole answer as she keeps kicking the door. My ice holds up for now, but a few cracks are starting to appear, so I quickly search for something in the room to help me make a better blockade, but before I can even grab one of the chairs, my ice crumbles and Anna storms in, stumbling from the force it took her to push past the locked door.

"Anna…" I start, but I'm promptly interrupted when she pulls me into a tight embrace, hugging me like her life depended on it. Instantly, her warmth invades my body, fighting against my natural cold and breaking down my barriers. Unwillingly, I let myself lean into her, enjoying our closeness even if my feelings for her remain unclear.

"See? The ice has started to melt." She comments happily, but I can't even look up to corroborate her words. I'm still fighting against my own emotions, confused about my feelings for the woman I now hold in my arms.

Do I feel like this with her because I'm still in love with her? Or because she's my long-lost sister I wanted to see again for so long? Is it disgusting if I relish on the contact? Or is it just sisterly love?

None of that matters. It's Anna, and I should cherish every moment with her while it lasts. Because this surely won't last forever. I have to tell her, and when I do… everything will fall apart.

* * *

 **A/N: So... this is a very important chapter. I wonder how many of you saw this coming, considering I dropped hints since practically the first chapter lol. Anyways, please leave a review, tell me your thoughts, your predictions or just whatever you want. It'll help me keep writing :)**

 **Thanks for reading and see you soon :D (hopefully).**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


	32. Bonus Chapter

**A/N: As a bonus chapter, this one will be shorter than usual and told from a third-person POV. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Bonus Chapter: Elsa's birth.**

It was a cold night, the night of winter's solstice, year 1871. The castle was being pummeled by a storm, with gale force winds battering the windows as snow continued to fall. No one dared venture outside the safety of their houses, as getting lost in a storm like this would surely mean getting lost and dying of hypothermia.

It was in such a night that King Adgar of Arendelle was pacing back and forth in front of a closed door, anxiously waiting for his wife to give birth. He was nervous and impatient; it had been more than ten hours since the Queen's water broke, and the storm had done nothing but increase in intensity since the Queen went into labor (even preventing the doctor from getting to the castle). All of which had not gone unnoticed by the king. He knew it was not a natural storm, even if such a thing wasn't uncommon at that time of the year. This storm felt weird, menacing, like it was a prelude to something even worse. It had to be the ice-wielders' doing; he knew they were doing everything in their power to prevent the birth of a new heir to the throne. But he wouldn't allow it, no, he was prepared.

He had sent Kai, his most trusted servant, to check if everything was in order, and to report in every 15 minutes on the status of the castle. There were more guards on duty than usual, and most of them were positioned at the entrance of the royal wing, while the rest were distributed at every entrance to the castle, keeping anyone from getting in. The king just hoped this would stop any possible attackers.

Just as he was thinking on leaving to personally check on the guards and see if they had noticed any signs of invading ice-wielders, his wife's cries of agony stopped. Seconds later, the silence was pierced by a newborn baby's cry. Time stopped in that moment, as he knew that he was at one of the most important moments of his life; he was about to meet his first-born, he was a father now! From that moment on his life would change, he hoped, for the better.

"Your majesty." Gerda, the maid who had helped the Queen give birth, said with a big smile as she got out of the room. "It's a girl." Adgar's heart filled with joy at the news, and a big smile of his own appeared on his face.

"Are they alright?" He asked apprehensively.

"The Queen is exhausted, but she'll be fine." Gerda reassured him.

"And my daughter?" He pressed.

"She…" The maid hesitated, not daring to look him in the eye. At the end, however, knowing she couldn't keep him from seeing his own daughter, she sighed and opened the door, indicating him to get in. "It's better if you see her yourself."

Anxious because of the maid's words, he entered the birthing room and saw his wife, holding a tiny baby in her arms, trying to appease her cries. The weird thing though, was that the room was rather cold, considering the roaring fire in the chimney, and also… what were those shiny things floating over the bed? Were they… snowflakes?

"Idunn, are you alright? Why is it so cold here?" He asked as he got close, even if he already had an idea of what was going on.

"Adgar!" She exclaimed, a bit startled since she'd been staring at her newborn. Then she seemed to realize he'd asked her a question and her face fell, obviously not wanting to answer. "I-I… she just…" she stammered and then sighed, looking again at her baby. "We're fine." She just said.

"But?" Adgar pressed, getting even closer to get a better look of his daughter, but the blanket and Idunn's arm prevented him from seeing her clearly.

"She's not… like you and me." She finally admitted.

"Why? I don't understand. Is she sick?" He asked, not wanting to believe what his mind was telling him.

"No, she's just different." Idunn's voice wavered a bit as she pulled the infant closer to her chest.

"Let me see her." The king demanded, more and more anxious now that no one wanted to tell him what was wrong with his newborn.

"I will. Just promise me you won't do anything drastic." The Queen answered, fixing him with a stern gaze.

"I promise." He said, and he meant it; this was his daughter after all.

"Okay…" Idunn agreed, though a bit reluctantly, her motherly instinct telling her to protect her baby, and placed the little girl with the utmost care on her father's arms.

The first thing the king noticed was the almost abnormal temperature of the child; she was cold, not freezing cold of course, but still colder than you'd expect a baby to be. Then he saw her eyes. They were blue, like Idunn's, but paler, like a glacier. Still, that wouldn't be too weird if it wasn't for her hair, of a blonde so light it was almost white, which was odd considering his wife's hair was brown and his own was copper. Her skin was also too pale to be natural, and together with the other clues, it confirmed Adgar's suspicions: she was an ice-wielder. His _daughter_ was an ice-wielder. The heir to the throne of Arendelle, the _princess,_ had been born with ice powers.

"No…" He whispered, not wanting to believe that what he was seeing was true. He clenched his teeth. This wasn't how this night was supposed to be; it should have been a happy occasion, of joy and celebration for the whole kingdom. It was the night he'd become a proud father, the night his life should have changed for the better, and instead… he had an ice-wielder for daughter. An enemy to his kingdom.

"No, no, no!" He said once again in distress, tears forming in his eyes. The baby must have sensed his discomfort, because she started crying once again, her tiny body moving as if wanting to get away from the man that was obviously not pleased with her.

"Adgar?" Idunn asked, noticing her husband's stress.

"Here." He said, returning the child to the arms of his wife, knowing in his current state of mind it wasn't wise to keep holding her. When she looked at him apprehensively, however, he just deviated his gaze and walked to the window, not wanting to see the disappointment in her eyes. "I-I'm sorry." He chocked out, though he didn't know what he was apologizing for. Maybe for not being the husband Idunn deserved, a husband that could and would love their child no matter what.

"Adgar… what are we going to do?" She asked fearful of his answer, knowing no matter what she wanted, the King held all the power, and therefore his word was law. The only thing she could do was to try and make him see reason.

"You know what has to be done." He said gravely, and instantly his chest tightened at the thought.

"You can't be serious!" She exclaimed outraged. "She's just a baby!"

" _Just_ a baby?!" Adgar retorted, finally looking back to his wife. "Have you looked outside?" He pointed to the raging storm that could be seen from the window. "It has to be her doing."

"You don't know that." She protested, holding the little girl closer, trying to stop her from crying.

"Yes, I do." He frowned. "Or have you forgotten about how ice-wielder's magic works?" When she refused to answer and just glared at him, he continued. "The younger they are when they gain their powers, the stronger their magic is. And she was _born_ with it. She's dangerous beyond reason."

"She's not dangerous." Idunn protested. "She's _powerful_. There's a difference."

"She needs to be with her kind." Adgar tried again, with a different approach.

"She needs _us_." Idunn said, looking at him in disbelief. She knew he hated ice-wielders, but she thought he'd make an exception for his own daughter. "We're her parents. We can't just abandon her."

"I know." He sighed, feeling bad for having to do this to the person she loved most in the world. He also would have preferred to keep their daughter, ice-wielder or not, but he was a King before he has a father, and thus he had duties he couldn't ignore for his personal feelings. "Believe me, I hate this as much as you do, but the law says…"

"The law says?!" Idunn interrupted the King, looking at him with such anger he even flinched. "You are the _King_. You make the _Law._ Can't you make an exception for your own daughter?!"

"Idunn… it's not that simple." He tried to reason as he carefully approached to her. "What do you think the people would make of me if I'm not impartial when applying the law? If I made exceptions with my own family?" Idunn deviated her gaze, but he kept talking nonetheless.

"There have been parents who came here to beg me not to exile their children, just as you're doing now. I told them the law was there to protect us all, and had to be followed to the letter. I'd be the world's biggest hypocrite if I don't obey it now." His eyes were pleading, begging Idunn to understand this wasn't something that could be discussed.

"Well then. I see that your mind is settled." She glared at him as tears of disappointment fell from her eyes, and though it hurt him to see her like that, he knew he couldn't relent. "If you won't let her stay, then… exile me with her." Adgar's eyes widened at her words, not having expected her to say such a thing.

"What?!" He exclaimed, hurt and confusion clear on his face. "No, I won't do that. You're my wife, and you've done nothing wrong."

"Well, neither has our daughter, and yet you're willing to exile _her_." Idunn retorted with spite in her voice. "Plus, the law you hold so dearly says that, when exiling children, their parents shall be asked if they want to be exiled as well, and that's exactly what I want you to do." She said with such resolution it took Adgar aback, and he knew he wouldn't be able to change her mind, no matter what he said. But what could be do? He couldn't just exile the Queen; she'd be murdered as soon as she arrived to the Northern Lands.

"Let's not make rash decisions." He tried to appease her. "There has to be another way."

"There is. Just _don't_ exile her." She demanded.

"I've already told you; I can't do that! The people would never trust me again, they'd throw us out at best or kill us at worst, including her." He exclaimed, almost exasperated, ignoring the child's upset cries that came whenever he raised his voice.

"They… they don't have to know." The Queen said quietly as an idea started forming in her head. When her husband just looked at her intrigued, she continued. "No one except us and a few trusted servants will be allowed to enter the royal wing. We could tell everyone our daughter was born dead, and make our servants swear not to say anything."

"But then she wouldn't be able to leave the royal wing." Adgar pointed out.

"Yes." Idunn admitted, looking at the little princess with a saddened gaze. "But at least she'd be with us."

"In that case, I think it'd be best if only Gerda, who's already seen her, knows about this. The less people the better." He reasoned.

"But we need more servants than just Gerda; she can't do it all. Not to mention the guards." Idunn protested.

"Then she'll stay in her room. It's safer that way."

"You can't just lock her up!" She exclaimed, horrified by her husband's idea.

"It wouldn't be forever; just until she learns to control her powers." He appeased her. "Then we could just dye her hair and pretend she's a distant relative that we decided to adopt. No one would ever know." Adgar said, obviously pleased by his idea.

"I… think it might work." Idunn admitted, even though she didn't like the idea of their daughter spending the first few years of her life locked up in her room. But she consoled herself thinking that, if she learned to control her powers quickly, she could have the life that she deserved.

"Well, then it's settled." He said getting up. "I'll go talk with Kai and Gerda to make the necessary arrangements. And tomorrow we'll make the announcement of our daughter's death." He paused, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. "You should sleep; you look exhausted."

"I am." Idunn admitted, letting herself feel the effects of having just given birth now that her child wasn't in danger. She felt like an entire horde of reindeers had run over her.

"Well then, goodnight." He placed a tender kiss on her temple before looking down at their newborn baby, who stared back at him with those innocent eyes he hadn't acknowledged before due to his concerns about her being an ice-wielder. Now, he let himself feel, and he discovered he loved her despite her magic. As he reached and softly caressed her cheek, he silently promised he'd do anything to keep her safe.

"Goodnight to you too… Elsa." He pronounced for the first time the name he and his wife had chosen for their baby if she was a girl, not noticing how Idunn's face lightened up at this. "I'll teach you to conceal your powers. You'll live a normal life, I promise." That said, he straightened up and walked out of the room.

He just hoped he'd made the right decision and wouldn't regret it in the future.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you liked this little thing. And sorry for the delay, I'm trying to manage my life between work and two fandoms: Frozen and Little witch academia (if you haven't seen that anime, I highly recommend it, btw), so please be patient.**

 **Thanks for reading, and see you soon (hopefully).**

 **Thanks to my beta reader moonwatcher13.**


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